Accountability
by KakaxIru2010
Summary: Jack/10 The Doctor feels he needs someone to answer to to keep himself in check. Jack is the only one who can do it. Summary at the start of each chapter.  On a complete J/10 binge right now
1. Chapter 1

Accountability

Chapter Summary: The Doctor feels he is out of control after the events of WOM. He seeks out the one person he trusts to put him back in line, to give him the retribution he desires.

Warnings: Rated M to be safe. Spanking, slash, D/s.

Chapter 1: Punish Me

The Doctor sat on the floor of the TARDIS, curled up against her consol in tears. What had he done? He knew the consequences of interfering with fixed points. It was the cardinal rule of the Time Lords. Some things must be and to interfere with those set events was a criminal offense. He didn't want to be the Time Lord Victorious if it meant this. He turned a woman's proud and inspiring legacy into a lowly suicide the world would see as her inability to cope with the vastness and wonder she had witnessed. The TARDIS tried to sooth him, reaching into his mind with reassurance. But that's not what he needed. He didn't want to be told he didn't know, that it wasn't his fault, that he was doing what he thought was right. It wasn't true. He knew it was wrong but he did it anyway. He deliberately went against what he knew to be right and people suffered for it. He needed absolution to take away this pain and he knew only one person he trusted enough to give him it the way he needed. There was only one person who would fully understand what he had done. He wiped at his eyes, pushed the TARDIS's comfort from his mind, and gasped out two words, "Find him," knowing she would understand who he meant. The whooshing sound of take off filled him with both dread and anticipation. He was afraid to tell him what he'd done but he needed this. He needed it more than anything.

Jack rubbed at his tired eyes as he leaned back in his chair, the joints of his spine cracking as he stretched. He hated paperwork. It was time consuming, tedious and boring as hell. "Ianto," he called. The Welshman came to his door with a knowing look. "Another industrial strength then, sir?" Jack smiled gratefully at him, handing the other man his empty mug as he approached the desk. "Bless you, Ianto Jones" Brown eyes rolled at the overly gratuitous display. "What should I order today?" Jack looked thoughtful for a moment before shrugging in indecision. "Ask Gwen what she's in the mood for. She's the pregnant one. If she doesn't know either you pick." Ianto nodded with a half smile, turning to leave. A normal, albeit slow day at Torchwood. How boring. Jack found himself wishing something would happen. Not anything bad per say, maybe some lost aliens in need of directions, some harmless bit of tech falling into the city or the bay, just something besides paper work. It seemed he would get his wish as an unmistakeable, wheezing sort of sound filled the hub. He smiled, jumping up from his chair to run down the stairs. Sure enough, there by the giant cog door was a blue police box. Gwen was out of her seat, gun pointed at the door. She had never met The Doctor, never seen the deceptively small looking ship. He chuckled at her. She lowered her gun as Jack placed a gentle hand over hers. "At ease soldier. We have a guest." As he approached, the door swung open. That was odd.

He took a tentative step forward, Gwen following close behind, he door slamming shut at her presence. "What the," Ianto's voice called from behind them. "Incoming message. It says 'Just Jack'." Something didn't feel right. Of course The Doctor didn't like strangers in his TARDIS, but that was why he usually came out on his own. For the TARDIS to be acting of it's ow accord, the Time Lord must be in some kind of danger. Jack turned to his subordinates, nodding and motioning Gwen to take a step back. When she had retreated, the door opened by itself again. He moved forward determinedly now. Something was wrong with The Doctor and that just wouldn't do.

Footsteps on the metal grating made him shiver. He could pinpoint the exact moment Jack saw him, curled on his side on the jump seat facing the back of it. The footsteps became quick and frantic to reach him a warm hand came to his shoulder, shaking him gently. "Doctor, what's wrong. Look at me." He squeezed his eyes shut, curling in on himself further. He didn't want to look at him. When he spoke, his voice was barely more than a whisper and it sounded raw from crying. "Jack, I did something terrible." Jack didn't speak, only waited for him to continue. He swallowed hard. "She killed herself." The hand on his shoulder tensed almost imperceptibly. "Who did?" The note of fear in his voice was unmistakeable. "Doc, who was it?"

"Adelaide Brooke." The ex time agent sighed in relief. "Well yeah, Doc. Everyone knows that." Wearily, The Doctor turned to look him in the eye. "That's not what they used to know. They used to know that she was a hero and a pioneer who's base self destructed, taking her and her entire crew with it." Jack looked confused. The Doctor sighed. "Then I happened." Understanding suddenly lit Jack's face. It was all the Time Lord could do not to break down again. A warm hand came up to cover his thinner one. "Tell me everything."

xXxXx

"You want me to do what?" The Doctor sat across from Jack, the captain's desk between them. He looked to his former companion pleadingly. "Don't make me say it again, Jack." The taller man leaned back in his desk chair, one hand running through his hair in disbelief. "Doc, I don't know about this." The Time Lord knew he was asking a lot, but he didn't know what he would do without this. "Please, Jack," he said. "It's not easy for me to ask this either, ...but I need this. I need to be held accountable for what I've done and you're the only one I trust with this. Somehow, you know me better than anyone else. You know what I need and I know you'll take care of me." Blue eyes met brown, seeing the sorrow and pain in them. He hated seeing them there. Deep down, he knew the Doctor was right. He needed to suffer some sort of consequence in order to feel himself again. Still, the question remained, how to go about punishing a Time lord. Only one idea occurred to him. It had been a long time since he'd practiced but it was the only thing that seemed appropriate. It was the only way he felt comfortable going about this but he had to know The Doctor trusted him completely or it would never work. He leaned forward, his elbows on the desk, his expression deathly serious. "I'll do this on a few conditions." The Doctor looked at him eagerly. "Anything, Jack. Anything you need." The immortal held up a hand to interrupt him. "You need to hear what they are first. One, you have to be sure you trust me completely. One hundred percent, no doubt whatsoever." The Doctor nodded. "Absolutely. I wouldn't have come if I didn't." Jack nodded.

"Two, you will do what I say without question or hesitation. Don't forget that _you _asked _me_ for this." He saw the bobbing of his Adam's apple as the Time Lord swallowed nervously but still he nodded his agreement. "And three," Jack said. "You WILL use the safe word if it becomes too much for you to handle. Punishment is one thing but I refuse to be the source of any real and lasting physical or psychological damage." Again the Time Lord nodded his agreement. Jack stared him down for a few moments, searching for any sign of fracture in his composure, any minute indication that the other man was being placating rather than truthful. Once he was satisfied he stood. "Alright," he said. "Let me send the team home first. You go down to wait for me." He opened the hatch that led to his bedroom for The Doctor to descend the ladder before leaving the room.

xXxXx

The Doctor turned around the room, taking in the simplicity of it. There was a black chest at the foot of the bed, a book shelf, and a small bedside table with a lamp. The bed sheets were as plain as the rest of the room, white and meticulously made in a military fashion. You could take the boy out of the academy but not the academy out of the boy it seemed. As he stood waiting, he couldn't help wondering just what Jack had in store for him. He wasn't scared, not of Jack anyway, but it had been a long time since he had deliberately sought out punishment. And while he was sure it wouldn't be anything near as harsh as he would endure on Gallifrey for such an infraction, it was going to hurt. He didn't particularly look forward to pain but that was the point. Punishments were not meant to be enjoyed, they were meant to teach and reinforce a lesson. He finally heard steps on the ladder and then booted feet thudding against the carpet as he turned to face his disciplinarian. Jack looked him in the eye. He was met with the startling hard and icy blue gaze. At least he was taking this seriously. Jack stepped forward to him so brown eyes now had to look up at him. "Weevil." The Doctor cocked an eyebrow at Jack, clearly confused. "That's your safe word. Remember it. All you have to do is say that word and it's over, understand?" The Doctor nodded. So it was starting already. "Look down," Jack ordered. He was quick to obey, his gaze moving to the carpet. "Good. You will not make eye contact unless directed otherwise. Is that clear?"

"Yes." He saw the toes of Jack's boots as the man stepped even closer to him. "From now on, you will address me as sir unless directed otherwise so that would be," he trailed off, leaving The Doctor to correct his error. "Yes, sir." Jack stood back, looking the Time Lord up and down. "Undress." The Doctor froze. Do what? "That's an order," a low voice growled in his ear. Reluctantly, the brown haired man began to disrobe, removing his jacket and tie, letting them drop to the floor before moving to the buttons of his shirt. His nimble fingers made quick work of them, slipping each one loose in turn before pulling the ends from his trousers and discarding it. His shoes and socks came next. Finally, his hands came to rest at the waist band of his trousers. He hesitated, feeling the heat rise in his cheeks. He was a moment away from being naked in front of Jack Harkness. That was intimidation at it's finest. "I'm waiting." He sounded impatient. Swallowing the fear, he unfastened them, sliding the pin striped material down his legs, kicking them aside. He was grateful now for Jack's eye contact restriction. The heat in his cheeks was almost unbearable as he stood in front of the other man, naked as the day he was born. "Good," Jack praised him. "Now kneel." The Time Lord dropped down obediently, resting his fisted hands on his thighs while keeping his gaze focused on the carpet in front of him.

Jack clasped his hands behind his back and began circling the older man. "Tell me, Doctor, why are you here?" He watched as the Time Lord swallowed thickly. "Because I need to be punished," he responded quietly. "And why is that?"

"Because I interfered with a fixed event."

"Why is that bad, Doctor?" When the man replied, his voice was strained and emotional. "Because I changed the time line."

"And why was that bad?" He could tell the other man was welling up but this was an important part of the process that could not be skipped. He had to fully understand the weight his decisions carried and having him say it himself was the most effective way to do that. "Because I hurt people and changed things for the worse."

"And it's wrong to interfere with fixed events that very reason, isn't it?"

"Yes, sir." Jack stopped in front of him now. Part one was finished, now came the more difficult part two. He removed his great coat and hung it carefully on one of the metal rungs of the ladder. Unbuttoning his shirt sleeves, he rolled them up past his elbows before taking a seat on the edge of the bed. He called the Time Lord over to him. The thin man stood beside him, head down and hands clasped in front of him when Jack gave the command. "Bend over."

"What?" It escaped his lips before the Time Lord could stop it but Jack was patient with him. "I said, I want you over my knee." He could see the man shifting uncomfortably at the unexpected command but Jack had expected some hesitation. "On my lap, Doctor. Now." Slowly, the thin man came down, laying himself over the captain's lap, supporting his torso with his elbows on the mattress. It was a vulnerable and degrading position but that was why Jack had chosen this. Punishment was supposed to be difficult and willingly putting himself in this position as opposed to being tied up or forced into it would resonate deeply with the Time Lord. Jack placed a hand on the small of The Doctor's back, bracing him. The other hand smoothed gently over the twin mounds of pale flesh. "Tell me what you need, Doctor." He watched thin hands grip the comforter. "I need you to punish me sir." Jack could feel the tension run through the body beneath him but this was just as important as the actual punishment. "Beg," he whispered. "Prove to me that you want to make amends. Show me how sorry you are." He was met with silence. The captain pulled his hand back to try and coax it from him. Apparently the threat that Jack would end this now was enough. "Please," he yelled out, his voice panicked. "Please, sir. Punish me. I've done wrong and I need you to punish me, sir. However you see fit. Please!" Jack took a deep breath of his own.

"Good boy." He reared back, his hand connecting firmly at the top of the Time Lord's ass and making The Doctor yelp. Immediately, a pink hand print showed on the pale flesh. Jack pulled his arm back again, the loud slap of his palm against the soft skin echoing with the receiver's cry of pain. Jack continued on, each slap moving lower and lower until he reached the connection of ass and thigh, each blow overlapping the last to spread the heat. When he reached the bottom, he started back up, increasing the strength with each cycle of the flesh. The Time Lord's cries of pain and short panting breaths filled the room as each echoing slap came down. Each round of spanking turned the skin there darker and darker, continuing on an on until it was a bright, cherry red. Only when his hand finally started to sting and The Doctor's ass was practically glowing did he stop. Both of them breathing heavily, Jack looked at the other man. The Time Lord's face was buried in the mattress, sobbing quietly into it. He had achieved what he set out to do. The Doctor had received a proper punishment. Now came the final part, the only one Jack would enjoy though this entire process may have been enjoyable under different circumstances. Reaching out, he slid one arm beneath the thinner mans chest, pulling him up right and cradling him in his lap, rocking him.

"Shhhh," he soothed, running his fingers through the tawny, sweat soaked hair. "That's it. It's done now. It's all over." When the Time Lord had calmed down considerably he kissed the top of his head. "Lay down for me now, on your stomach." Disentangling himself from Jack's embrace, The Doctor obeyed, his arms curling around a pillow as he hid his face in it. He peeked with one eye as the drawer on the bedside table opened and Jack pulled out an unmarked tube. A liberal amount of the green gel was squeezed out into the larger man's palm. He rubbed his hands together, coating them both.

The Doctor jumped when the cold gel made contact with his abused rear end, taking the heat from it and calming the nerve endings as Jack spread a thin coating over the twin mounds. Satisfied, Jack moved to lay beside his friend. "Feel better now?" He nodded. Jack smiled. "Good. Don't you ever make me do that again," he teased.

The Time Lord pushed up onto his elbows to better look at his companion and long time friend. "Actually, Jack," he said. "I think this is what I need. I need someone to answer to." Jack watched the others face carefully. "So you want to do this all the time now." He was quick to correct himself. "Well, not this specifically. Just...someone to make rules for me. Someone to answer to. Someone to please." Understanding lit the blue eyed gaze. "Are you saying that you want me to be your master?"

"Well, let's not use that word for obvious reasons, but basically...yeah." Apparently the ceiling had suddenly become very interesting to the brunet. "Doc," Jack started. "I've done this kind of thing before. This isn't a decision to make lightly." The Doctor sighed. "I know that Jack. But It's what I need." The ex time agent was thoughtful, considering exactly what the other man was proposing.

"You're going to have to talk to me pretty extensively. This means I need to know everything and I mean everything, including your anatomy, what you're comfortable with. It's going to get awkward." The Time Lord nodded. "I understand that. And I don't mind staying until we've hashed it all out." Jack smiled at him. "Come here you." He pulled the slimmer body to him so the other man was pressed against his side, using his chest as a pillow. They would talk more in the morning. Right now he needed rest and he was certain his bedmate would sleep well tonight.


	2. Chapter 2

Accountability

Chapter Summary: Jack and The Doctor have a lot to talk about. What's different about Time Lord anatomy and how does this particular Time Lord handle a public outing to a D/s party?

Warnings: Masturbation, fantasizing, collars and a Time Lord sex ed lesson.

Chapter 2: Teach Me

Jack woke first with the help of The Doctor sticking ice cold feet against his back. "I thought it was only women who did that," Jack grumbled, swinging his feet off the edge of the bed. With a big stretch, he glanced over his shoulder at the sleeping man. This was going to be a long day for sure. He had to know that the other was aware of exactly what this kind of relationship entailed. He already had an idea of how to do that but it required leaving the hub unattended for awhile. This was important though. He simply couldn't let he man enter into this uneducated or it would only end in resentment. But there was time for that later. Now, he had to get showered and changed. He still had a team to lead for the time being and it wouldn't do for them to see their leader show up in the same wrinkled clothes he'd worn yesterday. The immortal stood and stretched again, padding over to the ladder. He really needed to build on his own bathroom but instead he just kept using the hub showers and making excuses. A shower was exactly what he needed right now. Something about the feel of the hot water running over him and the steam filling the air cleared his head and helped him think. He had a lot to think about. The task he'd been charged with was a daunting one. To be responsible for a Time Lord, a rare creature, last of his kind. But The Doctor didn't just want him to be responsible for him, he wanted to give himself to him. Could he really own the other man in such a way? Could he be his keeper?

Jack sighed as he stepped beneath the spray of the shower head. The heat seeped into his stiff back making him groan. The more he thought about it, the more he realized none of this mattered. Difficult or not, he loved he man. He would do anything for him regardless of how he was affected in the process. It would seem he had some calls and a shopping trip to make.

xXxXx

When The Doctor finally woke, he found himself alone. He reached a hand over feeling cool sheets which meant Jack had been up for awhile. The Time Lord sat up in the bed, wincing when his back side throbbed. There were clothes laid out at the foot of the bed for him. It wasn't the usual standard of dress he held himself to but he figured it was the only thing Jack could find of his that would fit him. Since the idea of crossing the hub naked to reach the TARDIS and her wardrobe didn't particularly appeal to him the pedestrian style T-shirt and jeans were his only real option. The captain's slightly broader frame meant the waist was a little loose, not unmanageably so, but the black cotton of the shirt clung to him nicely. He must admit he didn't look too bad in casual dress. Once his shoes were on and tied, he moved to ascend the ladder in search of Jack. He wasn't particularly looking forward to their conversations but he knew they were important if this was going to happen. It had been a long time since he had been in a relationship at all so to move directly into something like this made him nervous. He felt even more nervous when he stepped into the main area of the hub to see Gwen prodding a small metal ball on her desk.

"For the love of God, stop. You're going to make us all brain dead."

He swiped it up from her, running his fingers over it expertly until he heard three beeps.

"There we are. Be more careful you lot. Neurodegenerative devices are nothing to go poking at. Harmless now." He smiled as he tossed the orb back to her. Her face was bewildered as she turned it over in her hands.

"A neuro what?"

"A Neurodegenerator. It sends out a wave of energy specially designed to target the brain cells and disintegrate them either killing them all off or detaching the brain stem leaving you conscious but isolated as you slowly die of suffocation." He grimaced at the thought of it. "Not the kind of death I'd like if you don't mind."

Gwen looked down in awe at the tiny orb. How could such a small thing be so dangerous? The Doctor just smiled and patted her on the shoulder, telling her to keep up the good work before continuing his search for Jack. It hadn't occurred to him that he had no idea where anything was but he figured it wasn't too big a place. One could only wander around it for so long before running into the person you were looking for. 'Or a pterodactyl. Really would like to get a closer look at her while I'm here,' he thought to himself. It would be nice to explore a bit, see what other alien tech they'd dug up, perhaps there were some pieces he could use for the TARDIS when she needed repaired, maybe see if they were hiding away any other aliens or prehistoric creatures that had fallen through the rift. He was trying to be helpful and not at all stalling. That's what he told himself anyway. He would find Jack at some point or Jack would find him when it was time to talk. No worries.

xXxXx

"Boy are people gonna be glad to see you back on the scene. You've been missed, Jack." The man on the other end sounded hopeful. Jack chuckled as he drove back to the hub, cell phone held to his ear. "Well, I'm not exactly back Trevor. An old friend of mine is interested in us having that kind of relationship. I just want to show him what he'd be getting into."

"Well, it'll still be nice to see you again. We've had a lot of people requesting you as a mentor."

"You know I won't do that. I worked it out on my own, if they can't do the same then they're not with the right person and they have no business pursuing it." He heard the laugh on the other end. "We don't all have the vast experience you do Jack. I'll never know how you got so good at this."

"It's all about reading people," he said. "So you can get me in tonight with a plus one?"

"Absolutely. The festivities start at ten-o-clock sharp Mr. Harkness."

"I'll see you then." Flipping the phone closed, he tapped his comms, directing Ianto to open the garage for him. He looked fondly at the white bag sitting in the passenger's seat. Inside were three long velvet boxes. It was time to bite the bullet and get down to it with The Doctor. When he came through the cog door with his bags he was surprised at the lack of Time Lord and his two employees staring at a computer screen.

"Are we bored? I can always find some paperwork for the two of you."

"Jack," Gwen said, waving him over without looking away from the screen. "Come have a look at this?" The captain shrugged off his great coat, hanging it up before joining the other two in staring at the monitor. Jack gaped at the sight before him.

"What the hell?" There on the CCTV was The Doctor, down in the containment room. He was sitting on the floor in one of the cells with a weevil curled up in his lap, rubbing the creature's back and speaking gently to it in hushed tones. "How long has he been in there?"

"Twenty minutes," Ianto replied. "I almost ran down myself when I saw him open the door but he just sort of yelled at it and it sat down. Been like this ever since." Jack shook his head in disbelief.

"Ianto, take these up to the conference room," he instructed, handing the bags to the Welshman," and get some food and tea prepared and set out. I'm guessing he hasn't eaten yet. He's not one to ask for anything." Ianto nodded and took the bags from him before heading to the kitchen. "And, Gwen, you two snoops say off the conference room cameras. These talks are personal and private. He barely wants to tell me so I doubt he'll appreciate anyone else nosing in."

She said nothing but had the grace to blush guiltily as she went back to the project she was meant to be working on. Jack grinned, having caught her and made his way down to the holding cells. Upon entering the room, he was greeted with the sight of The Doctor sitting in much the same way he was before, the Weevil snuggled up on him.

"Never thought I'd see the day one of these guys got friendly." The Time lord looked up at Jack, his expression none too happy.

"Why are they locked up in here all by themselves? The poor things should at least be with each other."

"Well they've been living in the sewers and a few abandoned buildings around here. They're usually harmless and keep to themselves but once in awhile you get one of these guys who go rogue and start going after people. That's when they come here."

The Weevil growled angrily at Jack, moving to get up but The Doctor shushed it, cooing gently until it had settled again. Once he had calmed it, he turned his attention back to he other man.

"I can imagine they might go a bit mental after awhile. They're pets, Jack. And high end ones at that. When you're raised to be a pampered companion you can only take living in a sewer for so long. Keeping them in these little cells all alone, shooting at them when they misbehave, man handling them the way you do all after they've fallen through some hole with no idea where they are? You lot have only driven them more mad with fear and pain."

He looked down at the head in his lap and rubbed the poor lost thing's back once more before moving to stand, giving it his assurances he would be back to visit again as soon as possible. The cell door locked behind him and Jack got his first good look at the other man. There was something utterly arousing about the Time Lord wearing his clothes. He looked good in 21st century casual. The jeans were a bit loose but otherwise he really loved this look on him.

"Well we can worry about them later. If you know what they are maybe we can get them home, but right now," he reached out, arms curling around the Time Lord's waist and pulling the thinner man against him. "I think it's time we had a discussion, don't you?"

The Doctor brought his hands to Jack's chest, not pushing him away, just resting there. He kept his head down shyly, turning up his brown eyes to look through his lashes into the captain's blue ones. He'd been dreading this all day.

"I suppose." Jack smiled, at him.

"Don't be so tense now. I'm just asking you to talk to me. You like talking."

A sigh escaped the Time Lord's lips as Jack guided him up the stairs with a hand on his lower back. He secretly enjoyed the warmth of the contact. They passed Gwen who glanced at them out of the corner of her eye, obviously wanting to know what was going on and his cheeks turned pink at the idea of someone other than Jack hearing this discussion. He was led up another smaller set of stairs to a glass walled conference room. Ianto was there, setting down a tray, a kettle and two mugs.

"You didn't specify, sir so I made some sandwiches and brought a variety of tea." Jack nodded his approval before motioning to the door. "Thank you Ianto."

Finally, they were alone. Jack pulled out a chair for the Time Lord before taking his own. He waited, resting his head on his hand until the other had settled with a few of the finger sandwiches and had chosen his tea.

"Well," he started. "I suppose we should start with what you hope to accomplish through this."

The Doctor shifted uncomfortably. "I already told you that Jack. I need someone to keep me in line."

Jack just stared at him, prodding him to continue with his gaze. He looked away, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "And...I just...I want to feel like I matter to someone. I mean, if something happened to Martha you'd know it. You'd miss her. If I were to die for good, no one would notice. They'd just assume I was still off on some adventure. They could pass on without meeting me again and they'd never know any different."

"And," Jack prompted. The Doctor sighed.

"And I'm lonely, Jack. I'm always alone and I'm sick of it. Are you satisfied now?"

Jack leaned back in his chair. "Yes, actually I am. This isn't going to work if you're not open with me, Doctor. You have to be able to tell me what you feel and what you're thinking. You have to be able to trust me to take care of you, physically and emotionally."

The Doctor hung his head. He knew why Jack was pushing so much. He shouldn't be so snippy. This was what he'd asked for after all, but he wasn't used to relying on someone else so heavily. A gentle hand came to rest beneath his chin, coaxing him to look up and meet the others' gaze. When Jack spoke his voice was soft, understanding.

"I know this isn't going to be easy for you. But I have a lot of patience and all of eternity to work on this. I can help you break down these walls you've built but you have to want it too. I'm more than willing to take care of you but I can't read your mind. You have to talk to me. If you don't tell me what you need then I can't give it to you." With a sigh, the Time Lord nodded. He knew the man was right. He had actually taken some time out of his hub exploring adventure to look up some information. The most reliable thing he had found on the internet was a site called . It was the only thing he could find that were actual articles and not porn. They very thoroughly outlined the "life style" and what was considered okay and not by the majority of the community. He had been surprised by the high standards of respect and honor that they held, even more so than plain people or "vanilla" as he found they were called. Even though it was all meant to be strictly informative, there still had been bits that made him go a bit red in the face.

"What about you," he said to Jack, trying to direct the conversation away from himself for a bit. "What do you want from this, Jack? What am I supposed to call you? What do you expect from me?"

Jack smiled at him. "You're very good at deflection. We'll have to work on that too." He brushed his thumb affectionately along the Time Lord's jaw as he spoke to him. "For now, in public you can stick with Sir. When we're alone, that's if you choose to go through with this after our little field trip, I know you're issues with Master so I'd like you to use Sir or Captain."

The Doctor nodded. Jack was very pleased with how well he was doing already. The emotional barriers would be hard to break through but he was already responding positively to the physical aspect of things. He hadn't even flinched when Jack had embraced him downstairs and he didn't bat an eye now at such an intimate display in a room with transparent walls.

"As far as specific expectations, we'll worry about that once you've made your final decision. Right now, I have a checklist of things I'd like you to look over. I need to know what you do and don't like and what you're interested in." He took out a sheet of paper from a file folder and handed it to the other man. The Doctor blushed as he read down the list of different fetishes and sexual acts, each with a brief explanation of what it entailed and three boxes after marked yes, no, and curious about. "I've only included the things I've done before but feel free to make a note of anything you like or want to try that isn't on there."

"Oh, I think this'll be fine thanks," The Doctor quipped.

Jack told him to take his time with it. "I don't need it back same day. Now this is where it gets difficult,"

"Because the rest has been just lovely."

Jack ignored the remark, continuing. "I need to know what's different about you, Doctor. What differentiates a Time Lord from a human?" This time the other actually groaned his displeasure. "Come on, Doc. Just pretend you're teaching a class." The captain was enjoying this far too much. He heard the sigh of defeat and prepared for a lecture.

"Well, I guess we're..._more_ sensitive than humans when it comes to...certain things. You see, we had a bit of a," he looked away from Jack's eyes, embarrassed. "A bit of a fertility problem on Gallifrey. Of course, we evolved gradually to increase our chances of conception."

"Evolved how?" Jack was intrigued now.

"It was an evolution in the males mostly. We developed quite a few extras." Jack made no move to interrupt or ask questions. He simply waited for the other to continue on his own. "For starters," The Doctor began. "Time Lord males can conceive but only once every thousand years. We go into a sort of, well, I suppose you might call it mating season. For an entire week we become insatiable. If there's a female around she would easily find herself jumped but if there are two males then they fight. The winner is the sire, the loser carries."

That brought back some memories. They were just boys when their first cycle hit and they hadn't heeded the warnings of the elders to isolate themselves. He remembered the thrill of being shoved face first into a wall, arm behind his back as he was claimed roughly and thoroughly by the victor. He remembered the countless hours he'd spent on his back and on his knees, keening in pleasure and calling out to the other. Arching up off the bed, gripping the sheets and screaming his name as he came. "Koschei!"

"Doctor!" Jack's voice snapped him out of his reverie. The Doctor shook his head to clear it before meeting the captain's concerned gaze.

"Sorry, just," He shifted, awkwardly to try and relieve the sudden pressure in the denim, thankful now for the looseness of them. "Just memories. Anyway! Much like the early years of earth, homosexual relationships were unheard of. Not because they were particularly frowned upon but because they served no purpose. A majority of us were reluctant to try once this was discovered. It had never been attempted and sounded painful to be quite honest but once a few finally decided to give it a go we discovered some other extras."

"Like?"

The Time Lord's face went bright red. "Nothing really. Doesn't matter. You mentioned a field trip?"

Jack raised an eyebrow at him. He wasn't going to be distracted from this. The Doctor was ready to bash his face off the table from embarrassment.

"Doctor," the captain prompted. He just rubbed the back of his neck, refusing to look at the other man. Jack sighed and stood. "I guess you don't want this after all. That's fine." He moved to leave, knowing the effect his threat would have. Sure enough, he felt long, cool fingers close around his wrist.

"Wait," he heard the other sigh. "It's not that at all. It's just...this is very personal and I'm not used to sharing this much with anyone."

Jack sat back down, leaning closer to the brown haired man, placing a hand on his knee. "I know that," he said. "I understand that you like your privacy but if we're going through with this then, between the two of us, there's no such thing. Besides," he grinned, giving him a wink. "Imagine how much better it'll feel if I know exactly what to look for."

He watched as the Time Lord thought about it, biting his lower lip at whatever had gone through his mind, eyes glazing over. He looked at Jack, obviously tempted. He leaned his head against his hand, still refusing to look at the other man.

"As you're well aware, humans have the prostate gland. Time Lords have something similar called delectatio. Where pleasure upon stimulation is just a happy coincidence in humans, delectatio were designed for that. There are four of them and as well as feeling fantastic, they provide," he paused, struggling to find a better word for it, something more sophisticated and failed. "Well, they provide lubrication for...well you get the idea. In addition to the four...up there, there's one located on the roof of the mouth. Sort of a way to get the other ones started until there's enough of the secretion to," he coughed nervously. "Yes well, to allow for manual stimulation. Instead of secreting _that_ though, the oral delectatio releases a sort of aphrodisiac, acting to ensure...longevity of the dominant male. By keeping him "prepared" you increase your chances of conception."

Shifting nervously in his chair, The Doctor moved on to the final and somewhat less embarrassing bit of Time Lord anatomy.

"And the last bit is the tongue. I know you've seen me lick a lot of odd things to identify them. That's because Time Lords are a bit like...like snakes? No, I wouldn't say that. Oh! Kind of like big cats when they make that scrunchy face? They're tasting the air to better pick up and identify scents. Time Lords have something a bit like that. Instead of taste buds our tongues are covered in fine hairs. There sensitivity makes them wonderful for identification, makes us a bit of food snobs as well but it also makes it very...pleasurable to perform certain sexual acts."

Jack was leaned back in his chair, a hand over his mouth in thought. His silence was unnerving to the man who'd just told him all his secrets.

"Well?"

Jack furrowed his brow and crossed his arms, looking at the other Time Lord. "So when you're thinking really hard about something and you do that thing where you press the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth, are you-"

"Alright," the Time Lord said a bit too loud, slapping his hands down on the table. He brought one hand up to cover his face from Jack's view. Jack laughed as The Doctor's attempt to hide his blush was thwarted, the bright red burning down his neck and on the tips of his ears.

"You mentioned a field trip. What sort of field trip?" Jack did his best not to smile, amused as he was by the other man's reaction.

"It's more of a party a friend of mine is having. Everyone there will be like us. I want you to see this sort of thing up close and personal. If we're going to this you need to dress the part."

"Dress the part how," the Time Lord asked. He wasn't really a latex and chaps kind of man.

"Don't worry. You'll be completely covered up.' Jack picked up a paper bag from the shops and handed it to The Doctor. The Time Lord took it, peeking inside. "I want you to go down to my room now. You look over that sheet. If there's anything you're unfamiliar with feel free to ask me or use the laptop under the bed. I want you showered, dressed and ready to go by nine-o-clock tonight. Am I understood?"

The Doctor shivered. He had forgotten how it felt to be commanded. "Yes, sir."

The captain stood with a pleased smile and headed for the door. He paused to run his fingers through the brown spikes, and lean down, his lips close to a pale ear to whisper "good boy," before heading out of the conference room. The Doctor watched after him and couldn't stop his own small smile from creeping onto his face at the other man's praise.

xXxXx

The list seemed less impressive when he was by himself or, more accurately, less intimidating.

Still, as he read through the different things he couldn't help but picture doing the more palatable ones with Jack. He couldn't stop his mind from wandering to thoughts of being tied up and helpless with the other man touching him, kissing him deeply and running his tongue over that little bump in just the right way to make him shiver as teasing fingers trailed down his sides to his hips. He imagined those firm hands pinning him to the mattress as warm lips repeated the downward journey.

Was the thermostat broken? The room felt much hotter than seventy degrees.

In his mind those lips stopped over a pert nipple, tongue darting out, soft and moist, to lick over it. He didn't notice his own hand slipping beneath the waist band of his jeans as, in his head, that warm mouth continued it's journey downward. He could almost feel the gentle kisses pressed to the soft skin of his belly.

Jack's mouth skated passed his erection, making him whimper as it moved down to nip and lick at the flesh of his thighs instead, littering the pale skin with little love bites, claiming marks. Still, his need went untouched as Jack's hands moved to the backs of his knees instead, pushing up and spreading them apart to expose his opening.

He started to stroke himself harder, working his tongue against the roof of his mouth as imaginary Jack leaned down to lavish the pink hole with long, flat strokes of his tongue that made his back arch. He couldn't help but cry out as the long licks turned to a hardened tip, pushing at that tight ring of muscle and flickering over the edges before returning to the slow, languid strokes. That wicked tongue continued alternating in it's sweet tortures until it finally slipped inside.

The Doctor threw his head back, biting his lip to hold back a moan as he came, coating his hand and the inside of his trousers. 'Jack's trousers,' he realized. He sighed. "This is why Time Lords don't do this sort of thing."

xXxXx

Jack entered his office, fully dressed for the night out in a light blue button down shirt, the ends tucked into black slacks. He was wearing his dress shoes that were usually reserved for weddings and funerals and his hair was neatly styled. In his pocket was one of the velvet boxes from this afternoon. It was very simple just as the item it contained was simple. He couldn't wait to see how The Doctor looked.

At five minutes to nine the hatch opened and up he came. He stood before Jack with his arms out, turning to give him a better view. The captain smiled to himself as the Time Lord turned for him, showing off how well he leather hugged his perfectly round ass. The black shine of the leather contrasted with the white wife beater perfectly.

"Very nice," Jack said, leaning his hip against his desk. "It's only missing one thing."

He moved now, pulling the box from his back pocket. He beckoned the other closer to him. The Doctor stopped in front of him, waiting patiently.

"Kneel," Jack commanded. The other dropped obediently to his knees. "Now," Jack started. "It's not the best idea for you to come to an event like this without this last crucial piece."

He opened the box now, showing the other what was inside. It was a leather collar, Dark blue and plain with a silver tag on the front. Etched into the metal was Jack's name.

"This collar is known as the collar of consideration. It in no way ties you to me permanently but it will show everyone there that you're pursuing a monogamous and committed relationship. This is your protection against lone Dominants who find that you strike their fancy. While no one would actually hurt you, our lot can be persistent."

Jack handed the box to The Doctor. The man lifted it gently, testing the weight of it in his hands. The leather was soft, flexible but it was strong. It was heavy enough to be noticeable but not enough to irritate the skin. He looked up at Jack, holding the collar out to him.

"Would...would you put it on me?"

His voice was shy but the pleased smile Jack gave him was reassurance that his response was correct. The larger, warmer hand covered his own as the captain took the collar from him. He tilted his chin up, exposing his throat to give the other man access. Fingertips brushed against the soft pale flesh as the clasp of the collar was fastened. Jack smiled, trailing his fingers along the Time Lord's jaw, guiding him to stand and tipping his chin up to press their lips together in a firm kiss.

"Gorgeous," he breathed against the soft lips beneath his. "Now come on. We don't want to be late."


	3. Chapter 3

Accountability

Chapter Summary: Our boys have arrived at the party. The Doctor gets to explore a bit, Jack meets some old friends and final decisions are made.

Warnings: BDSM, collars, sleepy Doctors and FINALLY some smuttiness.

Chapter 3: Own Me.

The car ride seemed long and unnerving. Jack was too focused on the directions he'd been given to talk which left The Doctor alone with his thoughts. He still couldn't believe what he had done in Jack's room earlier. He was a grown man for time's sake. He wasn't some hormonal teenager anymore. He hadn't done that since he was one hundred and sixty. It simply wasn't dignified and he hoped beyond hope that Jack didn't do his own laundry or he was busted.

_'Maybe I should have put them in the bottom of the laundry bin so it looked like his,'_ he thought to himself. Either way, there was nothing for it now.

The Time Lord couldn't help but be curious as to what sights would greet him when they arrived. Jack was so adamant that he witness it all first hand he feared he may have got it wrong. Perhaps he was asking Jack for something far more brutal or dangerous than what he'd meant. Sure paddles and whips could be fun in the right setting as The Master had taught him so long ago but he wanted so much more than just a bedroom scene. Especially if it was with Jack. He wanted there to be some aspect of his life where he didn't have to make the decisions and a relationship seemed to be a good place for that. Secretly, under all his bravado and heroic antics, The Doctor yearned for the life he'd had on Gallifrey. He _wanted_ to defer to someone else's authority.

"Poor Doctor," the Master's voice came from inside his head. A memory from the valiant. "Always in charge, taking care of his little humans."

He was in his youthful form in The Master's office, on his knees and hands tied behind his back. He was seated in front of the other Time Lord who leaned back in his wheeled desk chair, his expression condescending.

"Acting so brave and strong when he wants so much to just be a good boy," he cooed. Hands wandered down, unbuttoning The Master's trousers to release his hard cock. He took it in hand, stroking lazily as he looked down at The Doctor.

"Go on then, be a good boy," he grinned. "Make your Master happy with that mouth of yours."

The Time Lord blinked, turning to look out the car window. His hand went subconsciously up to his neck, fingering the leather there. He didn't need those memories popping up now, not when he was trying to start over with someone new. Still, it's hard to forget someone you grew up with, your best friend, even when they'd turned their back on you and hurt you so many times. It was even harder when you knew you deserved it.

"All right. Finally! I am gonna find the bastard that moved the place and put my boot in his ass," Jack growled as he made a left turn into an almost barren parking lot. There were only four other cars there.

"It used to be right off south main but the new owners felt a need to relocate." It wasn't a big place. It looked like a dive bar or a small club. The neon sign out front read "Fetish Factor."

"Very subtle," The Doctor teased.

"At least we don't get surprised pedestrians wandering in." Jack smiled, unhooking his seat belt and exiting the SUV, moving to open The Doctor's door for him as well. He offered his arm and The Doctor accepted, looping his own arm through. Together they headed towards the door to be stopped by a large, muscular man in black latex trousers and matching spiked boots. He was shirtless with a leather hood over his head, hiding his face.

"Name," he asked in a deep, gruff voice. Jack just gave him his signature blinding smile. "Harkness. Jack Harkness."

"And him?" He gestured to The Doctor who was clinging to Jack now, slightly intimidated.

"He would be my companion," Jack answered. After checking over the list, the man opened the door for them, waving them inside. Jack gave him a nod as they passed. When they entered the main area of the building The Doctor gaped. Everywhere you looked there were people in leather and latex. There were people on leashes, some sitting on the floor beside bar stools as the people at the bar chatted. Off of the main room were three hallways labeled sub sphere, Dominant's Dominion and VIP.

"Hey," Jack gave his hand a reassuring squeeze to gain the Time Lord's attention. "Relax. You're with me. No one's going to bother you."

"It's not that. I just had no idea this was so popular." Jack laughed.

"Well that's kind of the point. We _want_ to stay underground. This isn't something that's meant to be a fad. It's intended as a lifestyle so we don't very much care for people who practice half heartedly."

"Especially this one. So don't go running off on him now." Jack turned to the familiar voice with a grin. The Doctor turned as well, seeing a thin man with wavey, shoulder length blonde hair and a fake tan.

"Trevor," Jack greeted. "Been too long." The blonde smiled at Jack before eying The Doctor up and down. When his green eyes trailed back up to the leather around the pale throat he whistled appreciatively.

"Damn, Jack. You said you had a curious friend. You never said you collared him. You haven't collared anyone since-"

"Well, things change." The dark tone in the captain's voice was unmistakeable. Drop it. He squeezed his companion's hand gently. "Go on," he nudged. "Introduce yourself." Realizing he hadn't given Jack a human name to use at such events he turned, nodding to Trevor.

"John Smith. Pleased to meet you."

Trevor cocked an eyebrow. "Don't want to give out your real name just yet. I understand. But you might want to come up with something more convincing for the rest of these guys." He gestured to the bar and the people seated there who had turned to observe them. Just how popular was Jack in these places? The Doctor started fidgeting slightly, the weight of their eyes on him discomforting.

"Don't look so nervous," Trevor teased, too white teeth standing out against his almost orange skin. "No one here bites. Not unless you ask real nice anyway."

"And you'd better not be asking anyone but me," Jack whispered to him. The Doctor grinned at Jack, pressing the tip of his tongue to his mouth and earning raised eyebrows from his Dominant. Oh yeah. He was savvy to that now. _'This is embarrassing,'_ he thought turning his head away and rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Jack just laughed, tugging him by the hand to guide him over to the bar.

"I'm not going to have to have to sit on the floor am I?" The Doctor wasn't too keen on kneeling all night, his joints already aching from the thought of it. Jack didn't answer but after taking a seat, pulled the Time Lord into his lap, making his cheeks turn a lovely shade of pink. It seemed the bar tender knew Jack as well, winking as he asked what he was having. He ordered for them both, his usual martini and a lager for his charge.

"Wow, Jack," the man beside them said. He was about a head taller than Jack, burly but not fat by any means. His hair was dark and he had a beard that followed his jawline. By his feet was a boy that looked to be in his mid twenties, shirtless with leather pants.

"Where'd you find this one? He's quite a pretty little number." The Doctor wasn't sure he liked the way the other man was leering at him. It didn't seem like his Dominant did either, arms wrapping protectively around him. His response was so low it was almost a growl.

"Thanks, Bowen. I've waited a long time for this one. You know it takes a lot for me to collar anyone." He pulled The Doctor tighter to him, nipping his ear to emphasize his possession to the other man. A chill ran down the Time Lord's spine. Sensitive ears was something unique to him. No matter how many times he regenerated it was always the ears.

The man, Bowen, appeared to have gotten the point but he didn't seem too happy about it as he turned away. Jack nuzzled gently just below The Doctor's jaw affectionately.

"You watch out for him and his sub," he warned. "Bowen's what we call a poacher."

"Like anyone could take me away from you," the Time Lord said, leaning against Jack more as he enjoyed the contact. He felt those lips curve up into a smile against the skin of his neck.

"Not in your right mind. Just don't let them buy you any drinks."

There was a warning he would take to hearts. Most popular date rape drugs used on earth in this time period were toxic to him and the only one here who knew he wasn't human was Jack. He hadn't intended to stray far anyway. He didn't know anyone and he wasn't exactly sure what the social etiquette was at such an event. Was he allowed to address Dominants? Would other submissives be permitted to speak to him? Was it rude to just walk up to another sub and strike up a conversation or did he have to arrange such a thing through Jack talking to their Dominant first? There were so many rules he didn't know yet and he didn't want to find out by breaking one.

Instead he just snuggled up to his captain, almost curling up under the coat, and just listened. Jack caught up with some familiar people, discussed some mundane every day topics, even answered a few inquiries as to where he purchased the collar and if it was a custom made piece. The Doctor was content to listen and feel the comfort of the others voice as it rumbled under his ear, and enjoy the human warmth that surrounded him. He hadn't noticed when his eyelids started to droop. He didn't know when he had drifted off. He wasn't sure when they had moved back to the car but soon Jack was shaking his arm to wake him.

Bleary eyed, he realized his head was no longer rested against his captain's chest but the tinted window of the SUV. He yawned and turned to look at Jack through half conscious eyes.

"We're home," Jack said, smiling gently at him. "Come on. I can't carry you down the stairs. Time to wake up."

The Doctor grumbled, curling back up against the door. "Don' want to," he whimpered. Jack combed his fingers through the disheveled brown locks with a smile. The Doctor was kind of adorable when he was tired.

"But if you wake up and walk down with me you can have a nice soft bed to sleep in instead of these uncomfortable seats." He thought the other may have fallen back to sleep when he got no response. "Doctor?"

"M'thinking," he mumbled.

"No more thinking," Jack told him firmly. "Come on. We'll go down and I'll tuck you in for the night. You'll hurt your back sleeping in here."

The Doctor sat up then with mild protest, opening his door and sliding out. He leaned against the hood of the car until Jack came around for him and then clung to him instead. One arm came around his shoulders to guide him gently toward the stairwell, the main elevator having been turned off for the night. Gradually, the Time Lord became less and less wobbly, able to support himself as they descended. He still wasn't quite awake but he was aware enough to stay upright on his own.

When they finally made their way down through the hub to Jack's office, Jack went down the ladder first, into the tiny room and held his arms out to help the Time Lord down.

"Here. Sit down," he instructed, guiding the other man to the edge of the bed.

He sat at first but decided to flop back onto the mattress instead, his arms above his head, eyes closing as he took in the softness of it. He smiled and a contented sigh turned into a giggle as he felt first one shoe slip off, then the other.

"Captain, you're undressing me," he teased with a sleepy smile. Fingers hooked under his socks next, tickling as they were pulled off and causing more sleepy giggles to rise from him. When his trousers were unbuttoned, he propped himself up on his elbows, looking down at Jack with a goofy grin.

"Are you trying to get into my pants, Sir?"

"Shut up and lie down," Jack said, holding back a few sniggers of his own as he pushed the Time Lord back down so he could peel the leather off of him. It was horrible of you fell asleep in it. With the black material removed, he rearranged the other man so he was lying with his head in the pillows instead of hanging off the opposite edge.

He stripped himself down his boxers as well before crawling in next to his Doctor, pulling the blankets over them both. It didn't take long until there was a head on his chest and a thin body curled into his side. The Doctor was awfully cuddly and playful when he was tired and Jack couldn't say he minded.

"Jack," he whimpered.

"Yes?"

"You wouldn't let Bowen take me, would you?"

"Of course not," Jack said, his thumb brushing back and forth over The Doctor's shoulder in reassurance.

"Good."

Jack closed his eyes, ready for sleep himself now. Except,

"Jack,"

"Yes," he asked.

"You...you love me don't you?"

"Yes, sweethearts. More than anything."

"Good. 'cause I love you too."

"..."

"Jack,"

"I thought you were tired," Jack laughed.

"Well I am," The Doctor pouted. "But it's too quiet. Usually the TARDIS helps me sleep."

With a resigned sigh, Jack hugged The Doctor tighter against him. "And how does she do that, love?"

"Well, mostly her usual hum puts me out but sometimes she sings to me."

"Should I sing you something then," he asked, pressing a kiss against Tawny hair.

"Yes please," the sleepy Time Lord whimpered, snuggling his head under Jack's chin. He thought for a moment, not quite sure what to pick. Then he had it and he started the low, gentle, soothing tune.

"If I fell in love with you,

would you promise to be true,

and help me understand.

'cause I've been in love before,

and I found that love was more,

than just holding hands."

He twined his fingers together with The Doctor's.

"If I give my heart to you,

I must be sure from the very start,

that you would love me more than her."

The Doctor's eyes slowly slipped shut, feeling warm and safe in his Dominant's arms. His decision was made.

"If I trust in you, oh please,

don't run and hide. If I love you too,

oh please, don't hurt my pride like her.

'cause I couldn't stand the pain.

And I would be sad if our new love was in vain."

Jack closed his eyes, hearing the slow, even breaths coming from the other.

"So I hope you see that I,

would love to love you."

He kissed his lover's forehead, pulling the blankets tighter around them as he drifted off himself.

xXxXx

_He knew he was dreaming. This field was gone. The whole planet was gone. It wasn't possible for this familiar, red, knee high grass to exist. Trees with silver leaves were extinct. Still, the burnt orange sky gave him comfort. Dream or not, for the time being, he was home._

"_About time Doctor."_

_The familiar voice made him turn. There she stood even though it was impossible. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a low pony tail. Instead of her usual tight pants and low cut shirt, she stood in a white sundress, he edges waving gently in the wind. In her arms was a little blanket wrapped bundle. He stood across from her, his mouth agape and eyes wide._

"_Rose?" She smiled at him. _

"_You've given me so much, Doctor. Even though you couldn't stay, you gave me him." Suddenly, a white figure was stepping forward, slowly phasing in to reveal himself. His half human self came up behind Rose and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, one hand in his pocket. He heard his own voice address him now._

"_That gave us her," the second Doctor pulled down a corner of the blanket, revealing a baby girl with unruly brown hair. The chubby little cheeks dimpled as she gave a yawn and she looked at him, revealing light brown eyes shot through with stardust. His eyes, he realized._

"_You gave us happiness Doctor."_

_Then two more figures appeared, hand in hand and they slowly materialized into Mickey and Martha. Martha smiled wide at him. Mickey didn't smile but his eyes reflected none of the old mirth or jealousy, respect shining there instead._

"_Without you, I'd never have met this great lug," Martha said, raising their joined hands. "We found each other because of you."_

"_You've helped our family, Doctor." The Doctor turned his head swiftly, seeing Wilf standing there as well, tears welling in the old man's eyes. "You made Donna better. You showed her mother how she was hurting her. We've become so much closer and for the first time, Donna actually seems happy."_

"_You see Doctor," Rose said. "You've given so much. Even through the hard times and the losses we've suffered, we've gained so much more. We're all so happy." _

_He looked around at all the familiar faces, their new lives were so wonderful. His other stepped forward now. "You always tell everyone when you leave to have a fantastic life. We have." _

_It was a bit strange to feel his own hand on his shoulder. "How about you take your own advice for once. Be happy yourself. Have your own fantastic life. There's someone that's been waiting a long time for you."_

_The other Doctor pointed over The Doctor's shoulder and he turned. There he stood, hands in the pockets of his long, billowing coat, silently watching. Blue eyes met his and he felt overwhelmed at the emotions he saw there. _

"_Go on," his other self nudged him forward with a smile. "Go get your own happy ending." _

_He just stood, staring for a moment, unsure of himself. Then Jack pulled his hands from his pockets, holding his arms out wide, waiting for him to decide. He was wanted, truly wanted, truly loved. He felt the sting of tears prick at his own eyes. He swallowed around the lump in his throat, moving forward, stepping into Jack and feeling strong arms envelope him. He was held tightly, protected, safe. Tears streamed down his face as he clung to the other man, hands fisted in the lapels of his jacket. _

_He felt the other man's lips close to his ear, the warmth of his breath as he whispered sweet nothings to him. Two words were all it took to put him over the edge. "Welcome home."_

He woke then, his eyes drifting open. He was still curled up against Jack, head on his broad chest and encased in the other man's arms. Lifting his head to get a better view, he watched the sleeping face. Jack did love him, loved him more than he thought was possible. If he was honest with himself, he loved Jack too. He had for some time, even in his last body. Of course, it had been little more than a crush then but as the man changed and matured, going from the devil may care con man he had been when they met to the selfless man he was now, The Doctor found himself falling hard for the younger man. The Time Lord rested his chin on Jack's chest, still watching. The lines on the man's forehead were smooth now, relaxed with sleep. Gently, trying not to wake him, The Doctor traced the laugh lines at the corners of his mouth with his finger tips.

Jack stirred then, shifting slightly and blinking the sleep from his eyes. Feeling someone watching him, the captain looked down, smiling at the Time Lord as he watched him.

"Good morning," he said softly, his voice still groggy. Jack curled his fingers under The Doctor's chin, bringing his face closer to give his lips a gentle peck. This was the second time he'd woken with the Time Lord in his bed and he hoped for many more mornings like it.

"Sorry, about last night," The Doctor said. "I was a bit of burden."

"Absolutely not. You were adorable."

"Well, I meant it ya'know," he started. "About loving you."

He looked away, afraid he would chicken out if he had to look at the other man while he said it.

"And...I've made my decision." He brushed his fingers over the collar still around his neck. "I think I'll keep this." Jack was quiet. "'Unless you've changed your mind. It's alright if you have-"

He didn't get to finish the thought as Jack flipped them over to press him into bed. Square tipped fingers intertwined with his, pinning his hands above his head. The bigger man straddled his hips and leaned down to press his mouth to The Doctor's in a bruising kiss. Jack's mouth was so warm.

"I've waited so long to hear you say that," Jack murmured against him without breaking the kiss.

Soft, full lips moved against his, sending a surge of heat through him. He felt a wet tongue glide over his lips and parted them obediently, allowing his Dominant to deepen the kiss.

Jack swallowed The Doctors groan as he slipped his tongue inside. He had known about the temperature difference but the coolness against his human heat still sent a shock through him. He moaned against the other man as he plundered the Time Lords mouth, running his tongue over teeth and gums, mapping out his moist cavern before curling it around his companion's.

The Doctor moaned and melted against Jack they played, the hot tongue stroking against his own, more sensitive one.

Remembering another interesting bit of anatomy, Jack started searching. There it was, the little nub nestled into the upward curve of his palate. He licked over it experimentally and The Doctor shuddered beneath him. Jack smiled as he played with it more, swirling the tip of his tongue around it before pressing into it's center, seeing how much The Doctor could take.

The Time Lord bucked against Jack, trying desperately for some kind of friction as he pulled back, gasping for breath. It had been so long since he'd had a partner, he'd forgotten how good it felt when someone else was doing the touching. Hell, he'd barely even touched himself in almost three hundred years. He could think of maybe four times in that entire span including yesterday's little tryst.

Jack didn't slow down, latching onto his neck instead, sucking and nibbling at the soft, supple flesh of his throat, nipping at his adam's apple. He delighted in the little squirms from the body pinned under him. One hand was released only so he could snatch it at the wrist, now pinning the slighter man with one hand. His free hand trailed down the lithe body, ghosting over chest and ribs down to his hips.

The Doctor gasped softly as Jack cupped him through the fabric of his pants, pressing up into the palm. He was so hard he was aching. Jack rubbed against his erection, pleasing him but not quite enough to satisfy.

"Jack," he moaned.

"What was that," Jack growled against his collar bone, his hand stilling.

"Captain," the Time Lord enthusiastically corrected himself. He felt the grin against him and Jack purred appreciatively.

"That's better," he encouraged, his hand moving again but slower this time. "What do you want, Doctor?"

He whimpered then, rocking his hips into the warm touch. "I need...oh I need you to touch me. Please." He wanted it so badly, the tip of him having soaked through the cotton already. Jack moved to nip at the shell of his ear.

"Good boy."

He relished the sound of the Time Lord crying out in pleasure as his hand slipped beneath the waist band, sure fingers curling around the impressive length. He tugged playfully at it, enjoying the little noises it pulled from the other's throat. When he felt he had teased enough, a flick of his wrist and the elastic had been moved, catching under his balls and freeing him, exposing him. Jack leaned back then, looking down between them to finally see it. The Doctor was thick. Not as thick as Jack but longer than Jack.

He stroked him fully now, from base to tip, his own cock twitching as he saw The Doctor, eyes closed, mouth gaping as he gasped and panted, letting out a little moan when Jack flicked his thumb over the head. Jack released his grip on the other man's wrists to free his own need from his tented boxer shorts. He took the Doctor by the wrist again, this time guiding that hand down to wrap around him.

The Doctor's eyes snapped open and he looked down. A surge of heat went through him when he saw Jack. He was thick and hot and hard. He couldn't help but imagine having that inside him as he started running his hand over it, trying his best to pleasure Jack despite being very out of practice. If the little noises coming from the captain were any indication he was at least doing something right but it was hard to concentrate on his own task with Jack's expert ministrations.

"Here," Jack said, his voice thick with lust as he gently pulled The Doctor's hand away. He released his grip on the other man as well, licking his palm before wrapping I around both their cocks. He groaned as he felt the coolness of the Time Lord's erection pressed against the heat of his own and started to stroke them both together.

The Doctor gripped the bed sheets, biting his lip a the intense sensation. He had already been ready for so long, he couldn't last. Arching up off the bed he screamed as his orgasm tore through him.

Jack was so close so when The Doctor exploded, his come covering both their dicks so he tugged faster, harder. Throwing his head back with a grunt and a groan, he came, thick white ropes splashing against The Doctor's stomach.

He leaned forward then, pressing their foreheads together as they both tried to catch their breath. Jack peppered kisses over The Doctor's face and along his jaw before pressing one to his lips, lingering for just a bit. He had waited so long.

"You didn't get to go inside," the Time Lord panted.

"Next time," Jack smiled at him. "If there's anything we have plenty of, it's time."


	4. Chapter 4

Accountability

Chapter Summary: Now that The Doctor has made his decision, it's time for him to begin learning. His training under Jack is about to start and we get a glimpse into The Doctor's past.

Warnings: Obedience training, collars, domestic!Doctor, medical play, some heavy smut.

Chapter 4: Train Me.

The Doctor was sitting at a desk, rifling through a box of unclassified alien tech. After he and Jack had showered together that morning, his captain had given him this assignment for the day. He sighed as he fiddled with one of the devices he'd already identified as a children's toy. Jack's first act of ownership had been restricting him from entering the TARDIS and he was really starting to miss the old girl. His captain said he had a project of his own to finish in there before the Time Lord was allowed back in. He hoped it wouldn't take too long. She got angry if he was away for any length of time. In the same token, he worried what the man was up to inside the ship. She liked Jack, so he was certain she would give him no trouble and eagerly assist him in whatever he was planning.

The Doctor pushed a button and a hologram appeared. It was a story book. He smiled at the familiar old nursery rhyme about the little lost Bagorax who wandered too far from home. He used to tell it to her all the time. His smile fell as thoughts of her filled his mind.

"Oh, Emma," he said softly. "You have no idea how much daddy misses you."

He remembered when he'd first found out he was pregnant. It was immediately after his first cycle. His parents had been none too happy about the pregnancy as well as his choice of partner. At the time he wasn't even sure he had a partner. He hadn't told the father yet and he wasn't sure if said father would want to be a part of it. When he had told The Master, he was pleasantly surprised to find he was not only willing to be involved but rather enthusiastic. He had fallen easily into being an expectant father. He would talk to the growing belly every day, waiting for something to happen. When they both finally felt those first kicks it was like magic.

"She moved," the Master, no, Koschei, had yelled excitedly. He pressed his palm more firmly against the swollen belly and she had kicked against his hand again. "Look at what you've done you clever girl!"

He remembered as their eyes met, both full of sparkling excitement. The master had blue eyes then. Neither of them had regenerated even once yet. They were so full of love for each other then. Of course, the Master still was what he was, violent and angry, tormented by the noise in his head that no one believed was real. It was never directed at him though, always others that weren't included in this new little family. They would take turns reading to their unborn child, singing to her, they argued over names and nursery décor. Occasionally, the Master being himself and the Doctor being run by hormones, they would trod on each other's nerves and have a total blowout, but they always moved on by the end of the night. Either the Master would apologize for not being as understanding as he should and would insist on massaging his swollen feet and ankles for him or the Doctor would apologize for overreacting and spend the night buttering his partner up.

All in all, they had a great relationship. They were happy. Then the worst had happened. Their lives and dreams were torn apart, and they never recovered from it. They were too young when they had coupled and pregnancy was a big strain on a young body. The poor girl had passed on in the womb, still born. They grieved for months before they could even escape the depths of depression. They had moved back in with their parents, the sight of the nursery they had painted and decorated together sitting empty proving too much to handle. Even after they had regained some sense of normalcy, their relationship had become strained. The Master blamed the Doctor, the Doctor blamed himself.

"Who was she?"

Startled, the Doctor looked over to see Ianto, brandishing a tray bearing tea and a plate of jammy dodgers. The Welshman set the tray down and sat on the edge of the desk, looking at the alien expectantly.

"Who d'you mean," he asked.

"Dunno," Ianto said. "It's your story, but I know that look very well. I used to wear it quite often myself."

The Doctor smiled. Either his control was slipping or Ianto Jones was very perceptive.

"And what got you out of it?"

"Jack."

Oh. That's right. They'd been together. And then he had showed up.

"I'm sorry. I took him from you, didn't I," the Time Lord said, his apology written on his face. Ianto just smiled back.

"You don't have to apologize. I had no illusions about where I fell when it came to you. Jack was always very clear that you came first for him."

The self appointed den mother of Torchwood grinned at him then.

"Word of advice though. Don't let him get bored. He gets inventive when he's bored and then he sulks if you don't give his idea a fair go."

The Doctor gulped, looking worriedly at the other man. "How inventive?"

"Let's just say he's got quite a collection in that black trunk of his. Calls it his treasure chest."

"Well that's not very encouraging."

"If it helps, it usually ends up being quite fun," Ianto told him. "Lots of costumes actually."

"Oh, but you looked so good in the skirt," Jack said, coming from behind one of the stacks. Ianto seemed unfazed by the comment.

"You didn't look so bad yourself in that school blazer," he turned to the Doctor now. "Little tenth year me catching the attention of a twelfth year. Quite a scandal."

The Doctor wasn't sure how he was supposed to react to this little display. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, unable to find words.

"He's speechless. I don't think that's ever happened before," Jack teased.

"Surprising," Ianto said, "considering he's wearing a collar with your name on it. Would have thought he already knew about your role play addiction."

The Doctor leaned back in his chair and pouted (though he'd deny it if accused. Time Lords did not pout.) as the two men shared a laugh at his expense. Ianto gave the alien man a smile before he excused himself to go and get some work done.

Once they were alone Jack leaned over the desk, cupping the Time Lord's chin and pressing a kiss to those soft lips, nibbling gently on the lower one as it stuck out petulantly.

"You're just too cute for your own good. Did you know that?"

"Do I really have to wear this outside the bedroom," The Doctor asked, his fingers stroking over he blue leather.

It wasn't that he didn't like the collar. The constant weight and warmth was actually a comfort to him, reassurance that he was owned, but he wasn't sure he could handle the strange looks and strangers laughing at him.

"It's just that I'm so used to trying to blend in. I get a bit...jumpy when I stick out."

"Yes, you have to wear it," Jack said, reaching out to play with the tag. "But I know you're still new to this. I know it's hard for you so I'll make you a deal. It has to be visible when we're alone and when we're here in the hub, but for now you can wear something to cover it up when we go out in public."

He reached over to take the Doctor's hand in his, pulling him to stand.

"And you may want to go get that now. We're going out to lunch."

"But I thought I wasn't allowed in the TARDIS until you'd finished."

"You're only allowed to go as far as the wardrobe. I already discussed that with her so snooping won't do you any good." Jack turned him to face the stairwell, giving him a light tap on his backside. "Go on now. You've got fifteen minutes."

Glancing over his shoulder at his owner, the Time Lord wiggled is hips suggestively before heading on his way up the stairs. Oh, teasing. He'd get it for that one later. Jack felt the mischievous smirk quirk up the corner of his mouth as he watched the other go.

Oh the plans he had for his Doctor. The TARDIS had been kind enough to continue preparations while he was gone. Still, they wouldn't be ready to depart into the Vortex until tomorrow. That was okay though. It would be nice to have one more night with the Doctor in _his_ bed. In _his_ domain. Now that over half the box had been sorted and categorized, he felt it was alright to move the Time Lord on to other tasks. There was one in particular he had already planned out.

It didn't seem like much, giving him time limits, choosing his clothing, assigning him menial tasks, but it was all carefully planned and constructed in Jack's mind. Every time the Doctor completed a task that was asked of him or followed the set time frame he was given, it was an act of submission and a very good way to ease him into some of the more intense training they'd be doing. In a way he was letting the Time Lord get his feet wet, to become used to obeying him gradually instead of diving headlong into complete and utter surrender.

He had waited so long, yearned for the man who'd turned his life around. And while he hadn't expected it to be quite this kind of scenario, it was what the Doctor wanted and he loved the elder man too much to deny him anything. The Doctor could have asked him to roll over and beg like a dog and he'd have happily barked and done so, would even have humped his leg for good measure without hesitation. However, being on the other end of the begging was just as good.

The fact that the Doctor was willing, no, asking to be his sub made his cock twitch. His head was filled with ideas that had him aching for the other man. A nurses outfit was an interesting prospect and something he'd never done with Ianto. The Welshman didn't have the frame for the outfit. He was broader set with square shoulders, unlike the Doctor's lithe, slender, slighter form.

Maybe he should update his treasure chest before their departure. Then again, the TARDIS should be able to materialize anything he needed. It always felt like stealing though since she had to have taken it from somewhere. Perhaps he'd even take the Doctor with him on that little shopping trip. Make him pick out something himself. Just the thought of that adorably flustered face was enough to make his decision. He knew where they were going after lunch.

xXxXx

Clinging to the arm of his owner, the Doctor looked about them, peeking in shop windows as they walked. It amused Jack how interested the time traveler was in little twenty first century trinkets. He'd have to take him on a proper site seeing tour before they left. The little cafe wasn't exactly high end for a date but it was quaint and private and within walking distance of the hub. They also had the best barista in existence next to Ianto. The only thing this girl had that Ianto didn't was hot chocolate. The Welshman had just never mastered the sweet drink. He couldn't think of anywhere better to take a Time Lord with a sweet tooth.

"So where are we going," the Time Lord asked, tugging up on the zipper of his grey turtleneck for the billionth time.

"It's a surprise. And stop fiddling with it. No one can see anything."

The Doctor huffed and stuffed his free hand into his pocket to avoid temptation.

"I can't help it. People keep staring."

"The two most attractive men this side of the galaxy, walking down the streets of Cardiff wound around each other like no one else exists. Yeah, I'm sure it's your neck they're staring at."

The blush in the Time Lord's cheeks was quickly hidden as he looked at his shoes. Khakis looked almost as good on him as jeans did and they complimented the sweater nicely. He wasn't used to this kind of attention. Sure, he knew most of his companions fancied him at some point, but he'd never really accepted affection this openly and he'd never had his looks complimented by someone that mattered to him before. It was a bit embarrassing but at the same time it was quite nice. He hadn't been openly romantic in a long time. Flirty, yes, clingy and a bit touchy feely, absolutely, but he hadn't had true romance since Gallifrey. Jack was good at romance. He was good at public displays of affection and _very_ good at private ones.

"That's cute too y'aknow," Jack told him.

"What is?"

"That your cheeks go that pretty pink every time I compliment you."

Ducking his head, he captured those soft lips in a kiss. The Time Lord sighed and he melted into the kiss, leaning against the taller man. His head was spinning as he lost himself in the feeling of being possessed. He was owned, claimed, and above all, loved.

Jack pulled back with a smile, resting their foreheads together as the Doctor tried to catch his breath.

"Come on. Let's get inside before another mobile camera goes off."

He nodded in the direction of the bus stop and the Time Lord finally saw the group of teenaged girls, giggling and holding up their phones. There was no pink this time, only red as he tugged a waving Jack into the cafe but not before the captain gave them his famous wink and grin.

"I am mortified. Absolutely mortified."

"Why," Jack said as they took their place in line. "I think it's quite flattering. We have fangirls."

"I'm old enough to be their grandfather's great, great grandfather and they're siting there...oggling!"

"You think they know that? All they saw was two good looking men kissing. That seems to do it for the younger girls this century."

"That's even worse," he cried. "I don't need to know sixteen year old girls will be going under their knickers tonight thinking about us! Oh, and the internet. They won't be the only ones."

Jack couldn't help but laugh. "You can't exactly stop them, so why worry yourself about it?"

"And you! You are the biggest instigator I've ever met!"

"I didn't hear you complaining this morning," Jack winked at him before placing their orders and leading him to a table by the window.

It had a lovely view of the bay but at he same time, they were hidden from the other patrons. He knew the Doctor would appreciate the privacy for the upcoming exchange. He waited until their order arrived so they wouldn't be interrupted.

"Have you finished your list?"

"Almost," the Doctor told him, taking a bite of his mozzarella, bazil and tomato panini. "Mmm. This is delicious. Why haven't I had this before?"

"Because you usually eat nothing but chips and sweets when you eat at all."

"I look pretty good for it though."

"Must be all the running," Jack teased. "Now back on topic. How far have you gotten?"

"Well," he said. "I've read through all of it and done some research. Mostly there's three I'm still deciding if I'm curious about or don't even want to touch."

"And what are those," the captain asked, intrigued as he sipped at his coffee.

"Well, there's exhibition which would depend on the circumstances. Like I obviously don't want to host a viewing party but something like a dressing room might be..negotiable."

Jack nodded. Understandable.

"Public cross dressing is not gonna happen but I'm in between about it even privately. I don't even wear men's dress shoes so I'm quite sure I'd kill myself in high heels," he said, pausing to take another bite of his sandwich before continuing. "And the last one is...the pet thing."

"Oh," Jack asked.

"Well I just don't know how far I'd be willing to take it. I'm not even sure what I would be."

"Well, why don't we just experiment with that one a bit? It can be very fun. One of my favorites actually."

"I just don't know if I'm up for playing fetch, Jack. And it's a bit hard to chase cats when you've chased by a group of them dressed as nurses."

"Ah! New New York," Jack said. "But there's more than one way to play that you know. It's not always walkies and chew toys and eating off the floor. You can be a little wolf minding his own business and I'll be the big bad alpha male who comes around and decides he wants to claim you."

Jack's voice had gotten lower and lower as he spoke until it was almost a growl. The dark tone and the image of being on his hands and knees while Jack came from behind and mounted him like a dog sent a thrill through him.

"I-I suppose we could...give it a go then," he said, looking away nervously and crossing his legs to hide the new rising in his lap.

Jack smiled. He couldn't help but wonder what else on that list the Doctor was okay with. He would take a look a it when they got back, see if they could try anything fun tonight as a temporary goodbye to his bed.

"I have something for you."

Another long, velvet box was pulled from the inner pocket of his great coat. This one was thicker than the last and, the Doctor noticed as he took it from the captain, a lot heavier. When he opened it, he was greeted by a new collar. This one was thicker than what he wore now. It was red leather and it had hooks and loops all around the outside of it.

"This is a training collar. Obviously it allows for more control and it shows that you're tied exclusively to me. You don't have to wear it all the time. That's what your current collar is for. This is only to be worn when _I_ put it on you or you have explicit instructions to be wearing it for me already. Do you understand?"

The Time Lord nodded, closing the box and stroking the lid appreciatively.

"So, what do you mean exactly when you say training?"

"You'll see," he told him. "I have a few ideas, but tell me Doctor, how do you feel about a trip to a specialty shop?"

xXxXx

Jack was disappointed. While the look on the Doctor's face was worth the trip, he had hoped he would have picked something a bit more adventurous than a pair of rope handcuffs. He had found more than enough new toys on his own to make up for it though.

When they returned, he immediately gave the Doctor a list of simple chores to do in preparation for their departure including packing his clothes, doing some grocery shopping with the assistance of Ianto and sorting through wrecked tech for TARDIS compatible parts. The final thing on his list was a shower once everyone had left for the night.

Jack spent his afternoon looking over the list. While one or two of the more fun ones had been blacklisted, he was surprised by how much the Doctor _did_ like or would at least try. There was one in particular that jumped out at him and just wouldn't leave him alone. It called to him in a way that he couldn't ignore. He knew the perfect goodbye to his room.

Watching the CCTV, he was ready when the Doctor entered the hub bathroom, slipping in with a box and written instructions.

xXxXx

Jack couldn't honestly expect him to do that, could he? But there it was in front of him. The box was very clear on what the item was and it's intended use. It was just so very awkward! But Jack would be able to tell if he hadn't done it. He would be disappointed and that was a big enough punishment on it's own. Biting his lip, the Doctor resigned himself to his fate. He was really going to do this.

Opening the box, he swallowed nervously as he removed the bottle. It was clear plastic with lines on the side to measure the amount of liquid inside it. His fingers trembled as he turned on the taps, waiting for the water to warm up. He removed the cap of the bottle, tearing open the foil pouch of soap and emptying it into the container. The water was hot now but not scalding so he filled the bottle with it, recapping it.

His face was bright red. He could feel it. A Time Lord, over nine hundred years old, last of his kind, hero of uncountable planets and here he was, reduced to sitting alone in a bathroom, about to give himself an enema.

"Oh my lord. I can't do this."

Just then, there was a knock on the bathroom door.

"Are you alright in there," Jack's voice echoed.

"Umm," the Doctor hesitated. "Not really."

"Do I have to come in and help you?"

"NO," he shouted. The only thing more embarrassing than giving himself an enema would be Jack doing it for him.

"I-I can do it," he stammered. He really did not want the other man coming in right now. Thankfully, Jack left him to get to it, telling him he had ten minutes before he came in and did it himself.

Sighing, the Time Lord took the towel he'd used to dry off and folded it on the floor for him to kneel on. Taking the bottle from the sink, he laid his cheek against the cool tiled floor, his rear in the air. At least no one was here to watch as he spread his legs a bit wider, giving himself better access to the tight ring of muscle. The Doctor reached back with one hand, holding the bottle of hot, soapy water, while the fingers of his other hand guided the rubber nozzle. Slowly, he pushed forward and the nozzle worked its way in.

His body grew hot now as he felt the rubber tip breach him. Stopping to give himself a moment, his breath became labored. Somehow it was strangely erotic. Finally, he started applying gradual pressure to the bottle. The heat of the water and the feel of it rushing against his sensitive inner walls made him groan. This wasn't nearly as bad as he had anticipated. Another sound of pleasure escaped him as he felt the water run deep inside him, reaching around the first bend of his bowels and making his lower belly begin to swell.

He'd never experienced anything like this before. Even in his year on the valiant, the Master had never thought to do this. Perhaps he could get used to this.

When the bottle was empty and his abdomen was sporting a bulge, he delicately removed the tip, clenching against the urge to expel the liquid. He held it for as long as he could stand, giving it time to work before he made his way over to the toilet to empty himself.

xXxXx

The door opened and Jack climbed inside. His greatcoat was gone and the sleeves of his white buttoned shirt were rolled up past his elbows. He was happy to see the Doctor had followed his instructions exactly. The naked Time Lord knelt beside the bed, the comforter stripped off and neatly folded on the chair in the corner. The new collar was fastened around his neck and his head was kept down, only looking up at Jack through his eyelashes.

The Captain smiled and ruffled the brown mop of hair as a form of praise. Saying nothing, he moved to the foot of his bed where the black chest was kept. His treasure chest. He opened the lid, revealing a myriad of items. Jack couldn't stop a smile as he eyed his collection and pulled out the first item he would need.

"On the bed," he commanded the Doctor who obediently climbed onto the mattress, lying on his back. So eager to please. Jack moved up the side of the bed, pulling the Time Lord's arms up and attaching them to the headboard with a pair of leather cuffs.

"You know," he started, his fingertips gently caressing his lover's sides. "For someone who doesn't do domestic I recall you being very quick to baby me or Rose if we had so much as a cold."

Jack moved back to the foot of the bed now, rummaging through his treasure chest again.

"But I wonder," he picked out a few toys and necessities and laid them out on one of the trays from the medical bay next to a notebook. "When was the last time the Doctor had a checkup?"

The hitch in the Doctor's breath was audible as he realized what Jack was suggesting. The Time Lord bit his bottom lip, worrying it between his teeth to hold back a moan. Jack straightened up, looking down at the Doctor's naked form from his place at the foot of the bed. He noticed the other man's already hardening cock and had to hold back a smile.

"Well," he asked. "How long has it been?"

The Doctor groaned now. "Not since my ninety year physical...back home."

Jack clicked his tongue disapprovingly. He picked up the stethoscope first, putting it around his neck.

"That just won't do. I think it's time we remedy that, don't you?" He knelt on the side of the bed next to the Doctor's shoulder. "Besides, If I'm going to be your keeper I have to be sure you're healthy."

Taking the end of the stethoscope up to his lips, he let his breath puff over it, warming it before pressing it to the left side of the Doctor's chest. He could hear the heart there begin to beat faster under his ministrations. Teasingly, he let it brush against the skin as he moved it to the right side, building anticipation.

"Increased heart rate, but I don't think we need to worry about that given the circumstances," Jack teased. "Now open wide."

The Time Lord's lips parted as Jack moved the stethoscope back onto the tray, writing something down. There was a snap of gloves and then Jack was back at his bedside with a tongue depressor.

"Wider," he said, coaxing the other to open his jaw. "There we go. That's a good boy."

Jack pushed down on his tongue with the glorified popsicle stick for an unobstructed view of his mouth. The pressure on the sensitive hairs made the Doctor close his eyes in pleasure. A gloved finger came into his mouth now, probing gently at the delectatio there. Little bolts of electricity shot through the Doctor's body at the contact, traveling straight to his now fully erect cock.

A groan escaped as that fingertip started tracing little circles around the nub. The Doctor could feel the other four delectatio beginning to work, slickness starting to leak from him. He couldn't remember the last time he'd wanted to be fucked so badly after so little contact. He whimpered when Jack pulled back, stripping off the gloves and making another note.

"P-please, captain."

"Patience. We've only just begun," Jack told him, a hand stroking the Doctor's thigh knowing it was more frustrating than comforting at this point.

The Doctor's hardness was straining against his stomach, the tip leaking a sticky mess onto the pale flesh. Those simple little nubs went a long way it would seem. He was almost tempted to skip over the next few steps and claim the Time Lord right then. Almost.

This next bit was just too tempting. He had noticed the Doctor's interest when he was browsing the shop, unaware he was being watched. Pulling on a new pair of gloves, he picked up the little glass tube for the Doctor to see, letting him guess what was coming next.

"Are you ready?"

Breathing hard, the Time Lord opened his mouth again for Jack to take his temperature. But Jack shook his head, tearing open a packet of sterile lubricant. The Doctor swallowed hard, cheeks turning red as he lifted his legs instead, knees spread apart to expose his hole.

"Guess again," Jack said.

The immortal knelt on the bed between his "patient's" legs. Watching the brown eyes go wide, he took hold of the Doctor's length at it's base. The choked sound that escaped showed the excitement the older man tried to hide. Jack just smiled, placing the metal tip of the thermometer at the slit. Teasingly, he ran the tip back and forth, gliding over the opening again and again, making the other man shudder before he finally began to insert the thermometer. He was very gentle as he guided the cold, smooth glass down into the hole, never pushing but letting its own weight take it instead, relishing in the cries coming from above him.

Head thrown back, fighting the urge to thrust with every fiber of his being, the Doctor was helpless to stop the screams of pleasure from escaping. It felt so good. How could it feel this good? He had been curious about it, thought it may be worth a go but he had never imagined it could feel like this. There was very little friction thanks to the amount of lube Jack had used but the cool, smooth feel of it sliding into him, stretching him there, set his nerve endings on fire.

When all but an inch was buried inside, Jack took a bit of medical tape, winding it around the exposed bit of thermometer until he was sure it wouldn't slip all the way in and disappear. It would be a pain and extremely awkward to have to call Martha if that happened. He ran a finger up the underside of the other man's cock.

"There we are," he crooned. "Keep that in for three minutes now."

He moved up the Doctor's body, seeing the flush there and listening to the labored breathing. Jack brushed sweat soaked bangs from his lover's forehead, pressing his lips against the skin there.

"You're doing so well," he praised. "Almost done now. Only two more tests to go."

The Time Lord groaned as he contemplated what they could be. Whatever they were, he hoped at least one of them involved Jack's cock which was now pressing noticeably into his hip. Then he was gone, moving back down the bed, still wearing the blue medical gloves. He took another foil pouch, tearing it open and squeezing the contents onto his fingers this time.

"Now this might be cold, but bear with me."

The Doctor just nodded as Jack knelt between his legs again. His clean hand came to the back of one of the Time Lord's knees, pushing it up to his chest and the Doctor did the same with the other. He gasped as a finger slicked over his opening. It was cold but that didn't matter as that finger moved forward, pushing into him and making him moan. Between his own secretions and the lube Jack had used, there was almost no resistance as that finger was buried to the knuckle. He had very little time to adjust before the digit was gliding in and out of him, stretching him.

A second finger quickly joined the first, pumping inside him and working him open with the most delicious friction. He bit his lip hard, in an attempt to stay quiet as Jack fingered him. The captain moved up to cover his submissive's body with his own, his fingers unyielding as he did.

He took the Time Lord's lower lip between his own teeth, pulling gently until it was freed.

"Look at me," he ordered and the Doctor opened his eyes, the fingers in his ass still keeping a steady rhythm. Jack's voice was almost a growl, his blue eyes stormy with lust and desire piercing into the Doctor's brown ones, shining and dark with pure pleasure and need.

"I want to hear you."

With that one command it was like a dam broke and needy whimpers started pouring from the Time Lord's mouth. Jack smiled, moving his fingers faster just to hear the surprised gasp. He loved his partners to be vocal, to reaffirm that what he was doing to them really did feel good, especially with play like this.

Pulling his fingers free much to the Doctor's protest, Jack moved on to the next toy. It was a barbaric looking thing but that was part of why Jack loved it so much. Once he had found out about them though, there was no stopping him until he owned one. He applied another packet of lube before finally inserting the cold metal of the speculum.

The Doctor gasped as the blunt tip entered him, lifting his head to see what exactly this intruder was. Jack cooed softly to him, stroking his stomach and coaxing him to relax and lie back down, assuring him he knew what he was doing and there was always the safe word if he was legitimately afraid. That put him at ease enough to relax back against the pillows. He trusted Jack. He knew that even though Jack was in charge he got the final say if it became overwhelming and that Jack would accept his limitations.

His trust was only reaffirmed when he heard a click and the tip opened a bit, spreading him wider. Jack watched the Time Lord's face as he gradually opened the speculum more and more. Click by click the ring of muscle yielded and opened, letting him see inside and stretching until the Doctor's toes curled. Satisfied with the inch and a half and knowing his submissive was reaching his limit, Jack locked the mechanism to hold open the entrance.

"What a good boy," he whispered, stroking the backs of the Doctor's thighs. "Such a good boy. Now, let's take a good look at these little extras of yours."

The captain's lips pressed to his thigh. He was so open. He'd never felt so exposed. He wasn't sure if he liked it or not. But then those fingers were inside him again and had found the first delectatio just inside. The Doctor moaned aloud as Jack stroked over the bundle of nerves there.

"Ooooh, please sir, please. It feels so good."

Jack just smiled, pressing his fingers harder against the quickly swelling gland. The more he worked at it, the more easily he was able to slip the pads of the intruding digits over it.

"Do you like that?"

"Yes! Please, more."

Begging already and without being asked. There really was a submissive streak in him.

"What if I did this," he asked, sliding his fingers deeper until they reached the second rough patch, working it in much the same way as the first.

The Time Lord's back arched and he keened in ecstasy. The second one felt even better than the first. Jack noted that the deeper he went, the stronger the reaction was. By the time he reached the fourth and final delectatio the Doctor was practically sobbing from the intensity, pulling futilely at the leather bonds around his wrists. Jack spoke to him the entire time, cooing and crooning words of encouragement and praise which only seemed to excite the Time Lord more.

"Times up," he said, removing his fingers to see the Doctor try to buck down onto them again.

He almost wanted to cry as the sweet sensations abandoned him.

"Oh please don't stop. I need...I need," he pleaded to his Dominant.

"Don't worry. I wasn't going to leave you empty."

The speculum came out next, the gaping entrance immediately trying to clamp shut, but Jack was already there. He pushed and a metal ball, about the size of a golf ball, slipped easily inside. He pushed in another, and another, the little gasps from the head of the bed making his cock twitch. One more ball entered and he rose up onto his knees, leaning over the Time Lord and bringing the final one to his lips.

"Open."

He took the ball into his mouth without hesitation, settling it comfortably on his tongue.

"Now," Jack said. "I'm going to take the thermometer out and whatever happens, you hold these in until _I_ tell you otherwise. Do you understand?"

The Doctor nodded enthusiastically. Whatever Jack wanted, he would obey. It had been amazing so far and he didn't want to do anything to upset his Dominant. He needed to come and he wouldn't jeopardize that.

Satisfied, Jack reached down between them, taking hold of the thermometer and slowly easing it out. The Doctor squirmed, finding the removal just as pleasurable as insertion. Standing with the thermometer in hand, Jack pulled a little remote from the tray and turned a dial on it.

The orbs buried in his ass and the one in his mouth began to vibrate and the Doctor arched violently off the bed, toes curling into the sheets and a muffled scream tearing from his throat as all five delectatio and his tongue were stimulated simultaneously. Jack seemed oblivious as he wrote down quite a few notes.

The scrawl of pen on paper was covered by the Time Lord's cries. It took all of Jack's self control to keep from taking out the ball and fucking that sweet mouth. Soon enough. As he wrote down the last of his findings, he pushed the braces off his shoulders. Layer after layer was peeled away until Jack was completely naked, his hard,thick cock red with neglect.

He turned off the balls and the Doctor stilled, covered in sweat and breathing hard and fast. Jack brought his hand down to the quivering hole, nudging his fingers against it.

"Give."

With a push, the first ball popped out into his hand and he placed it on the tray.

"Give."

The next was pushed out into his waiting palm. One by one, each orb was expelled on command and placed on the tray. The one in his mouth was last.

Jack tangled his fingers in the back of the Doctor's hair now, the purple head of his cock brushed against the soft lips.

"Open."

Those lips parted wide and he slid his hard shaft inside the warm, wet mouth. He wanted to be gentle. Truly he did. But he had left himself untouched for so long, he couldn't keep from bucking.

The Time Lord was thankful for respiratory bypass as Jack thrust into his mouth, the thick shaft filling his throat. He swallowed around it, working it as best he could, wanting to please his owner. Jack's hips pumped quickly in and out, repeatedly burying his nose in the soft curls as his owner's hardness rubbed against that bundle of nerves and excited his tongue. The hard length pulled away suddenly.

"Spread your legs," Jack growled, overwhelmed with pent up arousal.

The captain knelt on the bed, pulling the older man's legs up onto his shoulders and lining up his cock before slamming in. The Doctor groaned as he was swiftly and finally filled with the human heat that was Jack. He wiggled his hips in his dominant's lap, needing more. The Time Lord was bent almost double as his dominant leaned over him, pulling out until only the tip was concealed and ramming back into that sweet hole.

"Oh. You're so good," he moaned, pounding into the Doctor.

Pleasured moans and the slap of desperate thrusts filled the room.

"You like that? Huh?"

"Yes! Ahhhh, please captain! I'm so close!"

"Oh, do you wanna come," Jack growled as he angled himself to hit that fourth spot directly.

"Yeah!"

"Do you wanna come for me?"

The Doctor moaned low, nodding and Jack grasped the Time Lord's erection, pumping furiously in time with his thrusts. There was no hope of keeping quiet now.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," he called, gripping the leather cuffs as his captain pounded into him.

Jack was teetering on the edge now, release within reach but he needed that one last push. Pressing closer, he covered the Doctor's mouth with his own, his tongue slipping in immediately to lick over the nub there. That did it. The Time Lord's entire body shook, eyes rolling back in his head as his passage clamped down on Jack's erection, sending him into orgasm as well.

Slamming home one final time, as deep as he could get, he emptied himself into the other man, milking every last drop from the cock in his hand.

In all ten of his lives, never had he felt such pleasure. It wracked his thin frame as Jack filled him with his incredibly hot human seed, which only intensified the pure ecstasy coursing through his veins like wild fire. It was all too much and his vision went black.


	5. Chapter 5

Accountability

Chapter Summary: Jack has given the Doctor more chores now, all part of the more subtle end of training him but hasn't stopped to consider if the Time Lord knows how to do them. Our captain begins to notice some tiny, somewhat worrying changes in his lover and Ianto takes our favorite alien under his wing.

Warnings: Obedience training, collars, domestic!Doctor, mild punishment, smuttiness.

Chapter 5: Baby Me.

His stomach was cold...and sticky. The Doctor squirmed uncomfortably under the blankets, blinking his eyes open as he turned into Jack's warmth.

"Good morning," Jack said, running his fingers through the Time Lord's disheveled mop of hair.

"'m messy," he grumbled into Jack's shoulder.

"Yes you are."

"Need a shower."

"Of course you do," Jack said. "You're covered in come. However."

Without warning, he rolled off of the bed, stalking across the room naked. Groaning tiredly, the Doctor sat up to watch Jack. His heart sank when the other man walked over to the laundry hamper.

"You won't get one until you've done the wash. Particularly these," he said throwing a familiar pair of soiled denims at the Time Lord.

The immortal man cocked an accusing eyebrow at his red faced lover. At least he had the decency to look abashed at being found out. It wasn't the masturbation Jack was upset about, it was the sneaky attempt to hide it, even pin it on him instead of owning up to it.

"You're going to get dressed as you are and get all these clothes washed, dried, folded and packed up. You're to report to me when it's finished so I can check and make sure you haven't already cleaned up and _then_ you can shower. Am I understood?"

The Doctor nodded, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. The task shouldn't take long. Jack handed him a set of clothes to put on. Of course it would be an under armor shirt and what were probably the tightest jeans in existence but he dressed without argument, as uncomfortable as it was. He assumed that was the point though. He took the hamper from Jack, turning to head up the ladder.

"Oh, and, Doctor," Jack said, making him pause and turn. "I want them done by hand. No help from the TARDIS or your sonic."

"But that'll take ages!"

"Then maybe you'll stop and think before trying to hide something from me next time. Now go."

"But,"

"Go!"

The Doctor ascended the ladder, grumbling to himself when he reached the office.

"But I don't know how to do laundry," he murmured so low only he heard it.

By the time he located the laundry room, put in just for Jack of course, he was walking a bit funny. His discomfort was abundant. The cloth stuck to his stomach and crotch and a little bit on his chest from the mess of his own come. It had to be one of the most awkward sensations he'd ever encountered. He placed the basket on the floor beside what he assumed was the washer since the door was on top.

"Now how am I supposed to do this?"

The Doctor opened the top, taking a look inside and trying to figure out where he was meant to put the water if there were holes in it. Didn't these things have instructions? He tried to think back to the one time he'd helped Jackie do laundry. And by helped he means he stood in the doorway watching while she nagged him for not stopping in enough. From what he'd seen, you just put in clothes and soap and the water came on its own. It should be easy.

He lifted the lid and upended the hamper into the machine. Clothes started to spill over the sides so he pushed them down, packing them in until they fit.

"Alright, soap. Soap, soap, soap."

He left the laundry room and headed for the kitchen, searching under the sink until he found the bottle of blue, thick fluid, taking it back with him.

"Why don't they just keep a bottle in here? Back and forth all the time, must be such a hassle. Now, how much of this should I use?"

He looked into the machine, to the bottle and back. There were an awful lot of clothes in there. Still, he thought half the bottle should work. He popped the cap and started squeezing it over the dirty laundry until he'd drained half of it and closed the lid. Now for these knobs. Why were there so many? Wasn't there just a "clean" setting? That would be so much simpler.

xXxXx

If there was one thing Ianto hadn't expected when he came in to work this morning, it was this. No sooner had he hung up his coat when he heard a terrified scream. Taking pistol in hand, cocking it, he'd taken off down the hall, following the frightened sounds. He turned the corner to the laundry room.

There was no sign of a person but the washing machine was jumping around the room like it was possessed and the entire room was filled with bubbles.

"Doctor?"

"Ianto? Is that you? How do I turn this demented thing off before it kills us!"

"Bloody hell."

Ianto shook his head and shrugged off his suit coat, sighing. He'd picked a horrible day to wear new shoes. He dove into the mountain of white suds, making a B-line for the machine and opening the lid. It immediately quieted and stilled.

"What, is that it?"

The Doctor finally came into view, making his way through the white mountains. He was covered in soap and completely drenched. Ianto inspected the scene before him.

"Just what were you trying to do?"

"Jack needed the wash done before we leave."

The welshman pinched the bridge of his nose. He should have known Jack was involved somehow. Leave it to his boss to give the task blindly to the one person in the hub who needed to be taught how to do it. He shouldn't have been surprised really.

"First of all," he started. "You do not wash clothes in dish detergent. Second, you need to separate it into more than one load, especially with Jack since he likes to let it pile up until it's absolutely necessary."

He started pulling the sodden clothing from the machine, putting over half of it back into the hamper.

"Let me get a mop and we'll clean this up. In the meantime, you push the machine back against the wall, put in two scoops of this," he gave the Time Lord a box of laundry soap. "And a cap full of this." Fabric softener.

"And then what?"

"And then you keep your hands to yourself until I get back."

The Doctor nodded. Ianto turned on his heel. He'd get the mop alright, but not until he'd had a few choice words with a certain captain. He stalked up the stairs into the main hub, realizing it wasn't half as menacing as it would normally be due to the audible squishing of his newly _ruined_ shoes. Gwen tried to say something to him but he held up a hand, silencing her and heading directly for his superior's office.

Jack looked up from his paperwork when he heard his door open, expecting to see the Doctor. Instead, a very wet and irritable welshman stood before his desk.

"Is it raining? You look like a drenched rat."

"Jack," he started calmly. "Normally I'm a very patient man. I don't stick my nose in when it comes to other people's relationships, but now, I'm going to say something."

He stepped forward then, leaning his palms on Jack's desk.

"I understand that you're with him now and I'm really okay with that. Whatever you two are up to, it's not my business. But the next time you give him a chore to do, make sure he knows how to do it first! He flooded the damn laundry room! He used half a bottle of dish soap! There's soap and water everywhere and we're lucky the pipes didn't burst the way the bloody machine was jumping."

Jack was leaned back in his chair, stunned. Ianto had never actually yelled at him before. A pair of wet shoes were thrown onto his desk.

"And you'll be reimbursing me for these."

The other man stormed out then, muttering about heavy cleaning and mold growing and not signing on to play idiot's keeper. Well, if Ianto's appearance was anything to go by, at least the Doctor was probably clean.

xXxXx

"I really am sorry," the Doctor repeated for the third time as he rung the mop out into yet another bucket full of water that would have to be lugged to the showers and emptied.

"It's not entirely your fault. Jack's a bit thick sometimes."

"Oh I know that well enough."

Ianto sighed, leaning on the handle of his own mop to take a rest. The washer was running correctly now and they had half the room clean at least. As he told Jack, he didn't like to get involved with other people's business but the Time Lord obviously needed a few lessons in handling Jack. With the captain in meetings all day anyway, the Doctor would need something to keep his attention. He got the feeling that a bored Doctor was even more dangerous than a bored captain. He would never be done cleaning if the other man was left to his own devices. How had he become a babysitter?

"Doctor, there are certain things Jack looks for or expects in a partner. Especially one that wants to deffer to him."

Brown eyes went wide and the freckled face went pale.

"H-how did you,"

"I know what collars mean, Doctor. I've entertained the prospect of that kind of relationship once or twice before. I really don't care about your private life with him but if I leave it up to him, he'll have you learn all the domestic tasks by trial and error. Seeing as I would like to do something other than clean today, I'll just have to teach you myself."

A big grin broke out on the Time Lord's face. He had a teacher, and one that was an expert in pleasing Jack already. If he believed in it, the Doctor would have claimed luck was on his side.

xXxXx

Jack leaned back in his desk chair. Finally, the blowhard had left. He never liked dealing with Torchwood two's leader. The old man was unaware of Jack's condition and liked to use terms like "back in my day" and "when I was your age" at him while he criticized the way Jack ran the hub. Little did he know Jack was his great great grandfather. Not could be, was. He knew exactly how things were in his day.

"Dunno how meek little Davie's kid got such a mouth on him."

Next was someone from UNIT, requesting a transfer of intelligence. This was the only thing worse than paperwork in his opinion. He tapped the comms device in his ear.

"Ianto, coffee please. Preferably with a shot in it."

It was Gwen who answered him instead, telling him his next meeting was running a little late. Something about an accident caused by a loose creature on the motorway. Relief flooded him. He could use a break, maybe check on the Doctor. Stretching, he stood from his chair, telling Gwen to page him when they arrived and headed off in search of the Doctor.

He felt guilty for what had happened this morning. The other man had tried to tell him he needed help but he'd ignored it. He hadn't listened to his sub and that was a big mistake. He tried to make his way to the laundry room but was stopped by Ianto who stepped out of the kitchen.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"To find the Doctor if you don't mind," Jack snapped. Since when did the other man get to talk to him like that?

"No you're not. He's busy," he said, pushing a to-go cup of coffee at the captain. "And if you have time to bother him you have time to go and get me another pair of shoes."

Jack sniffed the air. There was something going on in that kitchen and whatever it was smelled delicious. He attempted to walk in and see just what was baking but was again thwarted by the welshman who put a hand to his chest.

"There's no shoes in there Jack."

"Oh? And what is in there that you apparently don't want me to see?"

"It's a surprise,"called the Doctor from somewhere inside the kitchen. "Ianto, why is it melting off?"

"You have to let them cool first," he called over his shoulder before turning back to Jack. "You scurry off now. You're wash is almost done anyway and we're busy."

He was shooed from he hallway and up the stairs. Being kept from his current boyfriend by his former boyfriend all because of a dumb old washing machine. He knew Ianto was punishing him for the mess and he pouted as he pulled on his great coat. Deciding to walk, he took the lift up into the plas. There were plenty of retail stores around here and he knew exactly which one Ianto had gotten his shoes from. Maybe he'd pick up something special for the Doctor while he was out.

Jack was actually starting to worry about the Time Lord. In all the time he'd known him, the Doctor hadn't slept much at all. All of a sudden, he was sleeping every night. Now he was even sleeping later than Jack. He always seemed like he was still tired too. He was eating a lot more as well. It was like something was draining his energy.

Although, it could simply be the effect of the Doctor finally having sex again after so long. And Jack had been pushing him quite a bit. While they were both undeniably enjoying it, he'd have to be gentle tonight. It would be nice to just baby the other man for once. A little vanilla life would do them good for a bit. A night of romance. He had more than shoes to pick up now. The Time Lord wouldn't know what hit him.

xXxXx

"Is that a gingerbread woman then?"

"It's a gingerbread Gwen," the Doctor said excitedly, looking up from icing the cookie to smile at Ianto. "And that one's you, and there's Jack."

"Why is mine wearing wing tips?"

"They're not wing tips. They're your socks. Because Jack has your shoes."

Sure enough, cookie Jack was holding a glob of chocolate icing in each hand while cookie Ianto stood barefoot and looking at cookie Jack angrily. There were also several cookies in blue jumpsuits with angry looking faces Ianto assumed were meant to be Weevils. The Time lord was a mess, food coloring stained his hands and a smear of powdered sugar made the side of his nose and face white. The black shirt was covered in flour and the jeans had flour handprints slapped onto them. He was having fun though and the Doctor could clean himself up a lot easier than an exploded load of wash.

Ianto found he couldn't help but smile at how worked up the time traveler was about such a mundane activity.

"I can't believe I've never tried this before. Baking. It's brilliant."

"Didn't you ever do this with your mum when you were little," Ianto asked him.

"Well, we weren't with our parents long on Gallifrey," the Doctor told him. "We were taken very young to go and study at the academy but things like this were considered frivolous and indulgent which was frowned upon. The more I explore, the more I realize how unbelievably boring we were. They never let us do anything like make cookies or sleep in or go touristing. That's what I love about you humans. You're not trying to be above anyone, are you. You're just trying to enjoy the limited life spans you've got. You lot live to have fun and explore, not trying to make yourselves better than someone else."

He hadn't had a mother. Not really. It explained a lot.

"So, you never had a proper family? No Christmases or holidays or family dinners. None of it?"

The Doctor shrugged. "It simply wasn't done. I had my house and my best friend but that was it."

How sad. Sure, Ianto hadn't had the best childhood, but at least he had one compared to the Doctor. Ianto made up his mind then. Picking up one of the bare cookies, he started to decorate it himself.

"I thought I was the decorator," the Time Lord frowned.

"Yes. And you're doing a great job. You've just forgotten someone."

The Doctor tried to peek at the cookie to see who it was but Ianto kept it well hidden from him until he finished it. When he finally held it up, the cookie had a messy adornment of chocolate icing on its head, a smiling face, a pinstripe suit and a long tan coat. He set it down on the tray between the cookie versions of himself and Jack, moving the Gwen cookie to sit beside his.

"There we are. The whole Torchwood family."

Ianto smiled at the Time Lord who stared at the little, edible family portrait. A family. A proper Torchwood family and he was included in that. It should scare him. These symbols of commitment and a domestic life usually did. But somehow, this just seemed right.

The Doctor found his mouth curving up into a smile.

"So does that make you my mummy?"

"I'm everyone's mum," Ianto said, rolling his eyes in resignation.

xXxXx

His last meeting was finally finished. Jack watched as the man left and waited until the cog door closed behind him before jumping up with a whoop. No more talking to people that didn't matter today! He almost felt like dancing. He stepped out of his office, not turning on his comms and instead just yelling loud enough to echo through the halls of the hub.

"Everyone in the conference room! Barring rift activity, no one's doing anymore work tonight!"

The captain seemed light as feather a he practically glided around the main room, switching off all the computers for the night and waiting for the other three to make their way there. Gwen was the first, coming up from the cells.

"What's got you so happy Jack?"

"No more meetings today, the rift is quiet, I'd say it's time for a goodbye party."

He ran to the wall phone, dialing for pizza from the usual place. Ianto came up next looking at Jack expectantly.

"What?"

The Welshman looked pointedly at his boss and then down to his stocking feet, wiggling his toe for emphasis. Jack rolled his eyes, telling him he'd get them for him once the pizza arrived. He ran up to the tourist office when the buzzer sounded, paid and ran back down to bring it to the conference room but there was still no sign of the Time Lord when he returned.

"Ianto, where's the Doctor?"

"He said he'd be up in a minute. He's rather excited about our little project today."

Ianto took a sip of his beer and looked at the captain. "Someone had to teach him how to take care of you."

Jack stuck his tongue out at the other man. He was perfectly capable of taking care of himself. The conference room door opened then and in walked the Time Lord, showered, changed, carrying a tray and looking quite pleased with himself. He smiled at his dominant, a happy goofy grin that was only reserved for when he felt very accomplished.

"Guess what I did today," he said. Stepping closer to the table.

"What did you do today,"Jack asked, curling an arm around the Time Lord's waist as the tray was set down carefully. "Besides flood the washroom."

"Your own fault," Ianto muttered into his drink. The Doctor didn't seem to notice this last comment, still smiling as he pulled the cover off, displaying all his little gingerbread creations. He smiled at Jack again, his eyes absolutely sparkling with anticipation. He was waiting for his lover's reaction.

The Captain picked up the one that was meant to be him and he chuckled.

"You had fun with these, didn't you," he said, pulling the Time Lord closer and gently kissing his neck. "You even did the weevils."

The Doctor smile turned even brighter at knowing that Jack liked them and his surprise had been a success. Also odd behavior for the Time Lord, Jack noted, cataloging it away with the other peculiar behaviors he'd been displaying lately.

The night was spent sharing stories and laughs. Ianto had showed specific attention to the Doctor, making Gwen joke that he was the favorite child and Jack start calling him mama bear. Gwen had shown everyone the little movements in her growing belly when the baby started kicking. All in all, it had been a fun night and a fitting goodbye. Gwen left first, giving hugs, saying it was late and Rhys would worry. Ianto followed shortly after since he had to come in early the next day being that he was in charge while Jack was gone.

That left Jack and the Doctor alone at last. Jack leaned back in his chair, fingers laced behind his head. He was in no hurry to start clean up.

"So," he said, looking at his lover who was fiddling with he cookies that were left. "Just you and me now."

The Doctor looked up from arranging the weevils together with a smile.

"So it would seem."

Jack stood, moving to the other end of the table and taking the Time Lord by the hand.

"Come on."

The Doctor laced his fingers with Jack's, following after him expecting to be led to the TARDIS or the bedroom. Instead, Jack headed for the green house.

"Where are we going, Jack?"

"You're not the only one with surprises," he said with a grin.

Pushing the door open, he ushered the Doctor inside. Giant, brightly colored alien flowers formed a semicircle in the far corner where there was a little round table. There were two wine flutes in front of either chair and a bucket of ice beside it. The Doctor gaped a the lovely picture it made.

"Jack, are those,"

"Berantuan Hibiscus. They came through some time ago though they were much smaller then."

With a hand on the small of the Time Lord's back, he guided him forward to one of the chairs, taking a seat himself once his lover was situated. As Jack settled into his own chair, the extra terrestrial blooms moved of their own accord to completely encircle them.

The captain couldn't help but smile as he watched the Doctor look up at the colorful, mammoth petals. He had known they would be perfect. Their petals were swirled with bright colors, yet translucent like stained glass windows. The lights danced around them as the flowers swayed gently in the non existent breeze.

"Oh, they're beautiful. I've never gotten to see one this close," the Doctor said in almost breathless awe. "At least not alive and they go all tiny and one colored once they're cut."

The Time Lord's eyes closed as he began to sway in time with them.

"Oh, and that sound."

Jack cocked an eyebrow at him. The sound of what? Silence? The Doctor's eyes opened and he saw the look Jack was giving him.

"Can't you hear it?"

"The only thing I hear is you, Doc."

The Time Lord leaned forward, holding his hands out and motioning Jack closer. The captain leaned forward allowing the Doctor to hold his face in his hands.

"Now just relax," he instructed. "And listen." They both closed their eyes, the Doctor in concentration, Jack trying to relax enough to allow the man into his mind.

It was nothing like the academy training where they tried to burst into you like pillaging Norsemen. He could feel the Doctor's presence enter him gently. It was like a warm breath that ghosted in and embraced his consciousness, cradling it as it gently probed here and there, looking for the right door. When it was found a song erupted. It was a gorgeous sound, like a thousand ringing sleigh bells all emanating their sweet sound in perfect harmony. This was joy and happiness personified and it filled him with a warm glow of emotion. Without thinking, he reached out toward that feeling.

Next he knew, he was in a field of tall red grass and he was running. Nothing was after him. No creature wanted him dead. He was safe yet he was running. Running just for the sake of it, for the feel of the wind on his face and fluttering through his hair. His robes billowed out around him. The muscles in his legs burned pleasantly as did his lungs, expanding as they filled with crisp, clean air. The beautiful flower's song echoed as he finally collapsed on his back laughing. The crimson blades tickled his cheeks and the bare skin of his arms as the laughter that wasn't quite his rang in his ears. The adrenaline rushed through his veins from the workout. Contentment surged through his tired frame while he lay back, closing his eyes.

When they opened he was back in the green house, surrounded by the flower's light. The Doctor's hands were gone and said Time Lord was curled up on his chair, as far from Jack as he could get.

"Doctor,"

"Why would you do that?"

Jack looked at him, confused. Do what?

"I know we're trying to break down barriers," he said. "But that's something that's always private. Gallifrey is mine and mine alone."

It dawned on Jack then. He'd reached for the feeling and by extension, reached for the Doctor.

"I slipped into your mind," he said quietly. "Didn't I?"

The Doctor didn't answer, just curled in on himself further. He was obviously and understandably upset by the intrusion.

"I didn't mean to do that. I'm sorry," Jack told him. "I was following that feeling. I never meant to slip in without your permission."

"You were following what feeling?"

"That happiness. The warmth and joy that I felt when I heard that song."

The Doctor looked down at his knees, trying to hide his smile. It was overwhelmingly cute, like a shy schoolgirl who'd just been told how pretty she looked. It made Jack want to lie him down on the table and show him how pretty he really was. The Time Lord spoke then, his voice as timid as his expression.

"So...I make you feel like that?" He peeked up at Jack. "When you felt that...you thought of me?"

Jack smiled at him. "You're the only thing that makes me feel like that. I love you. Thought you knew that by now."

He smiled back at Jack. He knew the immortal man loved him, but he hadn't realized quite how much. He stood from his chair and took his captain by the hand to pull him up. The hibiscus flowers parted as he tried to lead him from their little haven. Jack paused.

"I had a whole romantic night planned," he said. "Sparkling cider, strawberries and chocolate sauce,"

The Doctor moved closer to Jack and kissed him deeply, licking the complaints from his mouth, working his soft, cool lips against the fiery heat of his lover's. Breaking the kiss, he whispered in Jack's ear.

"We can always take a rain check."

A barely suppressed shudder ran through the captain at what he was suggesting. Finally, he allowed himself to be lead from the curtain of colored light, down the stairs and into the TARDIS. They dematerialized into the vortex before the Doctor took Jack by the hand again, leading him down the hall to one of the bedrooms. Thankfully, the old girl had given them one of the more lavish ones with a four poster bed, plenty of pillows and satin sheets.

When the door closed their lips met again in their wonderful dance. Jack took control this time, taking a handful of Time Lord ass and pulling them flush against each other, making the thinner man moan. Thin arms wound around his neck and long fingers threaded through the hair at the nape. He wanted more, needed to feel smooth, bare skin beneath his fingertips. Warm hands migrated up under a red, cotton shirt, the material riding up and the feeling of cool flesh pulled a sigh from him. The soft skin was a sharp contrast to Jack's calloused palms which only made the feel of it more thrilling. The captain turned them so the Doctor was pressed back against the door, parting his legs by thrusting his own between them.

The Doctor groaned and tried to press against that strong thigh. Breaking the kiss, Jack moved to tease the pale flesh of his throat, kissing, licking and nipping. A whimper escaped the Doctor's parted, kiss swollen lips as his whole body began to tingle. Jack's hands moved further up under his shirt to tease the little pink nipples. The rough pads of the immortal's thumbs brushed back and forth over them, sending little jolts of pleasure straight to his swiftly growing erection as they hardened to little peaks.

"Jack," he gasped, gripping the other man's shoulders.

He could feel warm lips curve up against his neck as Jack smiled. The captain pulled back to lift the shirt over his Time Lord's head, exposing the soft skin of his torso. Jack admired the bare flesh for a moment, committing it to memory. He was still the Doctor after all and one never knew how long he would stick around. He had to cherish every second he was given with this beautiful creature. That was why tonight, he was going to take things slow. He was going to explore the toned, slender body thoroughly. He wanted to find every little spot that would make his lover squirm and writhe beneath him. This night would be a long one, filled with passion. The Doctor was finally his for however long it lasted and he had to show the man how much he cared for him, had to let him know he was cherished.

Timidly, the Doctor reached for him then, sliding the braces off his shoulders. He wanted to please Jack too. He was nervous, of course. The captain was a far more experienced lover and he didn't want to disappoint, but he knew the only way to find out what Jack liked was to try. He kissed Jack's neck, mimicking the treatment he'd received earlier as he unbuttoned the blue shirt.

"Is this okay," he asked quietly, nipping at the pulse point as he slid the shirt down his partner's arms.

"Absolutely," Jack told him. "But you don't have to be so gentle. I like it a little rough."

The Doctor took the advice to hearts, biting down on the junction of neck and shoulder, not hard enough to leave a mark but enough to make his captain groan.

He pulled the Doctor's head away, claiming his lips again. Gripping the slender hips, he lifted the Time Lord up, pressing him against the door again. The captain broke the kiss to growl low in his lover's ear.

"Wrap your legs around me."

He obeyed, hooking his feet together behind the other man's back and curling his arms around broad shoulders. The big, warm hands came to rest under his bottom, supporting him as their lips met again and he was carried to the bed. They fell onto the mattress together without breaking the kiss. Jack's hands moved up to tangle in his hair as he slipped his tongue inside, drawing a breathy moan from the Time Lord. The Doctor marveled at how perfectly Jack's hips fit between his legs, pressing against his own pelvis.

He moved his hands down, wanting to feel more of Jack's body but letting out a displeased noise when they met with a white cotton T-shirt instead of hot, human skin.

"What's the matter," Jack asked, his breath short, afraid he'd done something wrong.

"You wear too many clothes."

Jack chuckled at the Doctor's petulant tone and pouting lower lip. He couldn't resist pressing another light kiss to the pouting, red lips before he rose up on his knees, tugging the undershirt up over his head, leaving them both half naked. The captain leaned down again.

"Better," he asked, nuzzling his lover's neck.

"Much better," the Doctor agreed, finally running his hands down the slightly tanned skin of the captain's well muscled torso.

The heat beneath his fingertips only made him want more. He wanted to taste it. So he did, flicking his tongue over one dusky nipple and earning a strangled noise from Jack as he caught him off guard. The Doctor wanted to see what other noises he could coax from his captain so he set to work on the little circle of dark flesh, latching onto it and lavishing it with little licks and nips, swirling his tongue around it as it pebbled under his ministrations. Jack was panting above him as he worked, moving to give the other the same treatment. The sensitive hairs were picking up sweat, testosterone and a musky flavor that was uniquely Jack. His tongue tingled as little sparks of vortex energy jolted between them like a static shock.

"Why are you so good at that," Jack breathed into his ear. The Doctor just grinned against his heated flesh.

"I'm sure you could do better."

Accepting that challenge, Jack latched onto his neck again, finding that one spot that would have the Time Lord mewling in pleasure before moving down to nip at the collar bone. As his mouth worked, his hands drifted lower, caressing the pale stomach and sides. He moved then, his lips hovering over one pink pebbled nipple. He looked up at he Doctor, brown eyes meeting his own lusty blue as he let the warmth of his breath puff over it. Finally, without breaking eye contact, he poked his tongue out and licked it. The Time Lord moaned as he started flicking his hot tongue quickly over the sensitive bud. Back and forth, up and down, circling it, working his lover into a frenzy.

Without warning, the next received identical treatment. The Doctor moaned, threading his fingers into Jack's hair, silently urging him to move lower. The captain was happy to oblige, pressing kisses down the center of the Time Lord's body now. He pressed his lips into the soft belly, pausing to dart his tongue in the dip of his naval.

Now came the part where he got to show the Doctor a special trick. Using only his teeth, he unbuttoned and unzipped the denims, looking up at the Time Lord all the while. The captain noted he wasn't the only one who liked to go commando as he drew the trousers down those long, slender, well toned legs. With the other man completely naked, he set back to his previous task, burying his nose in the soft brown curls that started at his naval and spread down and out and inhaling a scent that was all Doctor. He pressed a kiss there as well, moving down to kiss all around the base of the Doctor's weeping erection. He moved teasingly, lavishing attention on the seam of those trembling legs, licking and nipping.

"Jack, please! I'm fairly sure something's going to burst in about a minute if you don't get a move on."

He certainly was demanding tonight, but how could he refuse when the poor thing was clutching the sheets that desperately. He ran his tongue up the underside of the hard appendage, relishing the whimper and the shudder he received. Taking the tip into his mouth, he swirled his tongue around it before swallowing the Time Lord whole.

The Doctor cried out as his cock was wrapped in the heat of Jack's mouth and throat. So good. It was the only thought he could muster as he bucked up, begging for more. In all his years he had to say, the sight of the dark haired head bobbing in his lap was one of his favorite things to see. However, watching his hardness slide in and out of those wet, willing lips was quickly proving too much. Taking a fist full of Jack's hair, he pulled the other man off him and up to press their lips together again.

His body was ablaze with passion. The need to be filled was all encompassing as he reached between them to unfasten the Captain's trousers. He rolled them over, straddling the other man and pulling the offending material off completely. A pink tongue darted across his lips as he broke the kiss, maneuvering down Jack's body again. He took the long, thick human cock down his throat in one go, swallowing around it as his own hand trailed down. He slid two fingers easily into himself, working the digits with the same rhythm as his mouth and throat.

Desperate. That was the word for it. He wanted his climax, wanted to feel Jack's hot seed pour into him more than anything in all the worlds. He hastily removed his fingers and his mouth, much to his lover's protest, until he was straddling him again. Eagerly, he lined up the head of Jack's throbbing member, enjoying the feel of it nudging against him briefly before impaling himself.

The stretch of muscle and the fullness of it was exquisite, making his eyes roll back in his head, Jack's cries not registering in his mind as he started a punishing pace. He rode his captain like the stallion he was, unyielding as the thick shaft massaged those four pleasure centers deep inside him. The moans and growls that poured from his own lips were like an echo, audible but they didn't feel like they were coming from him. He was entirely lost in the sensation of Jack.

He grasped the Captain's shoulders, flipping them over again.

"Fuck me," he growled. "Do it. Do it hard! Make me yours! I won't break."

Jack's eyes rolled back, hearing such talk from his Doctor. And as usual, he couldn't deny the man anything. He surged forward, plunging deeper, his thrusts brutal, his pace punishing. The Doctor keened and cried and begged for more, clawing at the bed, Jack's back, digging his heels into Jack's hips, meeting him thrust for thrust. He was like a wild animal and Jack had never been more turned on.

"Oh, please, Jack. Fill me. Fill me with your essence, make me come. Claim me!"

That was what he needed. With a growl and one last brutal thrust, he came deep inside the Time Lord, biting his neck hard. The feel of Jack pouring into him and the teeth clamping down on him sent him careening over the edge, coating them both on a sticky mess.

As they came down to the afterglow and cleaned up, the Doctor snuggled against Jack, exhausted. The captain's arm wrapped around his shoulders.

"I love you so much," he breathed, kissing the Doctor's forehead.

"I love you too," he said. As his eyelids grew heavy, one thought entered his mind. Mine.


	6. Chapter 6

Accountability

Chapter Summary: Something's wrong with the Doctor, but what is it? Can Jack fix him?

Warnings: Super smuttiness, regressed!Doctor

Chapter 6: Satisfy Me.

"Jack."

The captain grumbled, not ready to wake up. There was a warm weight on his chest.

"Jack," whining this time.

Reluctantly, he forced his eyes to open. Brown eyes stared down at him. The Doctor was lying on top of him, his face a happy grin now that he had woken his lover up.

"Jack!"

His voice was cheerful and he pressed a quick kiss to the drowsy captain's lips.

"Someone's excited this morning," he said, curling his arms around the Time Lord.

Wait a second. The Doctor shouldn't be a warm weight on him. He pressed the back of his hand to his forehead. It felt like a normal temperature, which meant a fever for his kind. Jack hoped he wasn't getting sick. He would have the TARDIS to help him but he still didn't like the idea of having to care for the Time Lord by himself. He would never forgive himself if he did something wrong.

"Do you feel alright, Sweethearts?"

"Jack," he said happily, snuggling up under his chin. "Jack mine."

That worried Jack deeply. He sat up, bringing the Doctor up with him. Ignoring the little noises of protest, he tipped the Doctor's chin up to look in his eyes. They were dilated. That was usually a bad sign, wasn't it? Of course, he didn't know in Time Lords. The Doctor whimpered, kissing him again. He was frantic this time, parting his lips, begging Jack to slip inside. The captain pulled back instead, holding the Doctor's shoulders to keep him back.

"Doctor, you're not yourself right now," he tried to explain as the Time Lord fought to get closer. "We need to make sure you're okay."

"Jack," he whimpered, pressing as close to Jack as he could.

The Doctor's cock was pressing insistently into Jack's hip. It was hard to resist, especially with the Doctor pushing so hard. He couldn't stop his need from rising even as he tried to focus on the health of his lover. The Time Lord's nostrils flared as he breathed deeply, taking in the scent of Jack's arousal. He whimpered pathetically, rolling onto his back and spreading his legs wide for Jack. Nothing was more heart wrenching than the look on the Time Lord's face right now. Puppies learned to beg from this man. He was sure of it.

If he tired him out, he could go to the library and look up some information while the Doctor slept. But he obviously wasn't in his right mind. Would it be taking advantage? Would he be angry at Jack later? There was a thump to his left. Looking over at the sound, he noticed a book had been placed, open on the bedside table. The TARDIS hummed encouragingly, nudging him to take a look.

As he read through the text, he silently thanked the old girl. It appeared to be a medical dictionary specific to Time Lords.

_Mating: (male pairings)_

_Symptoms of a Time Lord entering the mating season, commonly called a cycle, include:_

_**Early Symptoms:**_

_fatigue_

_The body may become weary or easily tired out. This is a result of storing energy in preparation of the coming week._

_increased appetite_

_Also a result of the body building its energy stores._

_behavioral changes_

_A male about to enter their cycle may show changes in behavior based on their relationship._

_An unbonded male or a male in the dominant role may show signs of aggression or become possessive and domineering over their partner._

_A male who is bonded to a dominant partner will become docile, complacent, timid, and eager to please their significant other. They may also feel uneasy when separated from their partner and become reluctant to be on their own._

_**Later Symptoms:**_

_Elevated body temperature_

_**WARNING: **a temperature reaching or exceeding 99 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius) indicates an underlying affliction such as infection and should be attended to immediately_

_Dilation of the pupils_

_Limited cognitive function/regression of mental status_

_This is most often, but not always, limited to the submissive partner. One to three word sentences are common. They may have trouble understanding complex instructions and may be very dependent on the dominant._

_As Time Lords enter into their cycle, hormones are raging and giving off a scent to signal their readiness to males and females alike. When two unbonded males meet, they will fight for supremacy. _

_While a death has never occurred, the fight will go on until one male is overpowered or surrenders to their opponent. That male is then permanently encoded with a submissive scent pattern and is vulnerable to other dominants if not accompanied by their bond mate during future cycles. _

_The winner becomes the dominant partner, laying claim to the other male physically and repeatedly over a week long period, anywhere from four to seven days long. They will become protective of their submissive, and easily angered by the presence of other dominant males. The dominant will often display quite the opposite behavior towards the submissive even to the point of coddling._

_During the week of their cycle, the submissive will display teasing, almost playful behavior. Nipping at their dominant or stealing kisses is a common display and is often followed by presenting themselves for copulation. A submissive will continuously secrete lubrication, eliminating the need for preparation during this time and will also secrete a sweet tasting substance from the oral delactatio that acts as an aphrodisiac to the dominant. This substance allows the dominant to keep up with the submissive's insatiable appetite for intercourse. _

_The week's end may show no noticeable difference from pre-cycle patterns, however, that does not mean fertilization has not occurred. It may take up to a month for pregnancy symptoms to emerge and at that time, a scan should be performed to confirm and to determine what if any medical action is needed. (see "male pregnancy": page 239)_

Jack bit his lip. So the Doctor was going to be insatiable for an entire week. Seven consecutive days of marathon sex with a Time Lord who wouldn't want anything else? He'd had worse deaths.

Said Time Lord pressed against his back now, whimpering and grinding on him, practically begging.

"Jack," he pleaded, nipping at the captain's ear and rolling onto his back again.

The Doctor's back arched and he licked his lips in invitation. He was so wanton, desperate for Jack's attention. He could resist him, but he didn't know if he could last the entire week turning the man down. It's not like the Doctor was drugged or something. This was a biological reaction. The Doctor needed this and it wasn't as if he'd just happened upon him this way. They were together after all. It only made sense for him to be the one fulfilling this need.

Having made up his mind, Jack rolled over, settling between the Time Lord's open thighs. The Doctor pressed his lips to Jack's desperately, trying to work onto his erection himself. The book had clearly understated the neediness. Wanting to please his eager lover, he pushed in, gently at first and was delightedly surprised to meet absolutely no resistance. He was buried to the hilt in the Doctor's practically dripping cavern and the Time Lord mewled in pleasure. Jack took the opportunity to slip his tongue inside, tracing the tip over the roof of his mouth. As he ran over the rough patch he was surprised by the sudden burst of fluid from it. It was sweet like strawberries and cream. Assuming this was the aphrodisiac, they needed to edit that book from secretes to shoots.

The Doctor rocked his hips against Jack's, needing him to move. He craved the sensation of being filled with his human's thick essence. When the captain began to thrust it was like heaven. The sweet friction and the slap of flesh against flesh was simply intoxicating. He wanted more.

"Jack," he gasped, using the headboard to push back against him.

It was so good. And Jack was so much bigger than his last partner. All the nerve endings in his body sang as the hot, thick human shaft pushed and pulled inside him, rubbing against those four patches of nerves. But he wanted more. He wanted to feel the gush of Jack emptying into him. He needed to be filled with the thick, white come, almost scalding as it poured into his body. Craning his neck to reach his lover's, he bit down hard where the captain's neck and shoulder joined.

Jack's back arched and he drove into the Doctor one last time as the sensation of teeth clamping down on him sent him over the edge. He came harder than he could ever remember, stars flashing behind his eyes as his cock pulsated, emptying into the other man whose teeth were still locked onto him, holding him still. When every last drop was milked from him, the Time Lord released, allowing him to pull out and collapse next to him. But the Doctor wasn't through with his captain yet.

Brown hair tickled under his chin as the Doctor nuzzled there, nipping at the flesh of his throat.

"Jack," he panted, voice thick with desire.

"Already? You really are gonna kill me, aren't you."

The Doctor climbed on top of Jack, his hardness pressed between them as he leaned to nibble on the captain's earlobe.

"My Jack."

"Yes. Your Jack. But Jack needs a few minutes."

"Jaaaaaack. More."

He nipped Jack's lower lip before rolling off him only to rise up on his knees and lift his hips high off the bed. Half his face buried in the pillow he was hugging, he spread his legs wider, wiggling his rear suggestively and looking intensely at Jack with his one visible eye.

Damned if that didn't shoot him right back to full attention. He was behind the Doctor in an instant, sliding his newly hardened cock inside and loving the keening cry that came from below him as long fingers clutched the sheets. This was going to be a long week.

xXxXx

Jack closed the door behind him as quietly as possible. He definitely didn't want to wake the Doctor who'd finally fallen asleep. His legs and hips were unbearably sore and his stomach was growling. The dilemma was which to take care of first. The TARDIS made the decision for him, a door appearing across from the bedroom. Steam came rolling out as he opened it. The black tiled floor of the washroom was warm beneath his bare feet instead of the icy chill he had expected. Tucked against the far wall was an enormous whirlpool bath, already filled and running.

"Oh, you treat me too good old girl," he said, patting the wall affectionately.

The water was almost scalding as he sank down into the tub, just the way he liked it. He sighed as the jets massaged and soothed his poor, abused muscles, leaning his head back against the wall. He didn't know if he could survive five more days of this. Two was doable, three was workable, but for or five would put him on the brink. Still, he couldn't help but love this particular death sentence. It was preferable to having your neck bit off by some random alien anyway. And though it made him feel a bit guilty to admit it, he liked the Doctor like this. Vulnerable, needy, completely reliant on Jack to take care of him. It was nice to be needed by the Time Lord for once instead of the other way round.

When had his eyes closed? He wasn't quite sure but when he finally started to stir the water had cooled considerably and he had the feeling he was being stared at. He opened his eyes and was greeted by the Doctor. He was knelt beside the tub, his chin resting on the side as he watched Jack, the fingers of one hand playing idly in the chilled water. When he realized Jack had woken he smiled, moving up to kiss the still sleepy man. Jack kissed him gently back as his head started to clear the fuzzy haze.

"Jack," he said, nuzzling into his captain's neck.

"Ah ah," he said, pulling back from the snuggly Time Lord, standing and climbing out of the bath. "No more of that now."

The Doctor frowned at him as he wrapped a towel around his waist.

"Want Jack," he whined, standing to nip at a bare, tanned shoulder.

"Not now."

He walked out, not giving the Doctor a chance to convince him otherwise. Jack walked purposefully down the halls of the TARDIS. The Doctor padded along close behind like a puppy trailing after it's owner. Jack fought the urge to giggle at that as he recalled hearing something on earth about fixing your dogs to stop them humping. He thought maybe he should get the Doctor fixed as slim fingers closed around his wrist.

"Jack," the Doctor pouted, trying to pull him back as they passed the last bedroom. Jack took his wrist back.

"No. Kitchen."

He continued on, trusting the Time Lord to follow. Finally reaching their destination, Jack instructed the Doctor to sit. He obeyed, taking a stool at the breakfast bar as Jack searched the cupboards for something quick. Bananas. Some things never changed.

The captain broke one from the bunch and started the peel down before handing it to the Doctor. The Time Lord scrunched his nose up at the yellow fruit, setting it on the counter to reach for Jack instead but he'd stepped out of reach.

"No," he said firmly. "Not until you eat something."

He turned his back to find something for himself before settling for toast. As he searched the fridge for jam he felt a thin body fit itself against his back. Jack sighed and walked the Time Lord back to his seat, telling him he would get nothing until the banana was gone. After he found the jam and topped his toast, the captain took the seat on the opposite side. The Doctor glared at the fruit still sitting on the counter like it was a bowl of broccoli.

"It's not going to go away just because you want it to."

The Doctor looked up at him then. Seeing Jack wasn't going to give in, he leaned his head against one hand while the other pushed the banana around the counter. His bottom lip quivered. Why was Jack being so mean? Had he been bad? Had he done something wrong? He sniffled. Why didn't his Jack want him anymore?

Watching the Doctor's eyes well up and his lower lip shake like that was like a knife through the heart. Jack wanted to rip his hair out. Why was it that one sad face had him feeling like he'd left him by the road in a cardboard box instead of simply asking him to eat something? He groaned instead of letting out the frustrated scream that longed to escape him.

"If I let you sit on my lap, then will you eat?"

The Time Lord perked up immediately, running over to Jack. Once he had settled sideways on Jack's knee the captain offered him the banana again. This time he took a bite while it was still in the other man's hand. Once he had a taste he seemed to recall he quite liked food and took the fruit from him to feed himself. Relief washed through Jack as the Time Lord munched. It wasn't much, but at least it was something in his belly.

He picked up a slice of toast and took a bite. Looking up at the roof, he crossed his fingers.

"Two more days. Please, just two more days."

The Doctor took the last bite of banana, setting the peel on the counter. Now that it was gone he could have Jack again. He wiggled in the other man's lap, turning to straddle him. There was jam stuck to the corner of the ex time agent's mouth. Leaning in close, the Doctor poked his tongue out to lick the sticky, red sweet away.

"Jack," he asked, nuzzling into the other man's neck and inhaling the musky,masculine scent there.

"Alright then," Jack said, smiling.

The Doctor nipped excitedly at the flesh of his throat. "Jack," he moaned, rubbing himself against the taller man who had a hold of his hips. He could feel Jack growing hard, could smell the heady scent of his arousal. He wanted him. Rising up on his knees, he took hold of Jack's throbbing erection, lining it up and lowering himself onto it.

Both their heads fell back as that tight hole stretched easily to accommodate Jack's impressive girth, the length of it reaching deep inside so the head nudged against that fourth spot perfectly. While it gave easily to the penetration, the Doctor's entrance was still tight, squeezing around Jack in a way that made him wonder how long he could last even sitting still.

The Doctor rose up again until just the tip was inside before lowering back down onto the hot shaft. Gripping Jack's shoulders, he bounced up and down in the other man's lap. Jack's fingers dug into the pale hips, guiding the Doctor to move faster.

The needy whimpers echoing in his ear made Jack want more. He lifted the Doctor off of him, standing and laying him back on the counter top. Placing the slender legs over his shoulders, he entered the other man again, rocking in and out of him.

"Jack. More," the Doctor called, wanting Jack to be rough. He had no patience for slow and gentle right now.

Jack obeyed, moving harder and faster, pounding the willing, writhing body beneath him. The noises coming from the Time Lord spurred him on closer and closer to the edge. The Doctor gripped the counter, his back arching as he mewled in pleasure. Jack was so deep inside him now. His whole body burned as he was pushed steadily toward orgasm by the heat and friction of the throbbing human member.

Jack could tell how close the Doctor was and decided to test a little theory he'd had. He angled his cock so the head ran directly across every single one of those spots with each inward stroke pulling a scream from his lover, but still the man didn't come. Jack was determined though. He reached with one hand and ran just the tip of one finger along the underside of the Doctor's cock.

With one last cry, the Doctor exploded over them both, inner muscles clenching. Jack gripped the Doctor's thighs and grunted as he forced himself as deep as he could go, emptying himself into the shuddering, velvet walls.

Jack pulled carefully out of the Time Lord and leaned his forehead against the heaving chest. The two of them gasped for breath as they slowly came down.

"Uh oh."

Jack looked up at the Doctor.

"What uh oh?"

The Doctor lifted up one hand to show Jack. It was red with blood from a slice in the palm. The captain took it gently in his, inspecting the wound.

"How'd you do that?"

He moved to sit up and brought up his other hand which sported an identical gash. Jack took both the Doctors hands in confusion. How and when had the other man managed to do this to himself? The Doctor was looking down at the counter top where the tiles were cracked and jagged, also stained with blood.

"Broke it," he said.

"Yeah, I guess you did," Jack agreed. "We're gonna have to watch those alien muscles of yours this week."

The Doctor held his hands out to Jack again insistently and commanded, "Fix it."

Jack placed his hands on the Doctor's hips and slid him off the counter before guiding him back into the hall, heading for the med bay this time. He really hoped it was only two more days.

xXxXx

On day six Jack woke alone. That was odd. The Doctor was always there to wake him or watching him as he slept. Wincing, he sat up against the head board. His thighs and back were aching from all the activity of the last five days. Still, he was worried. The Doctor wasn't in is right mind. There was no telling what he could get into without Jack to keep an eye on him. Though the only thing the Doctor had been interested in getting into lately were Jack's pants. Something was different. He had to find the Time Lord.

He swung his legs off the bed and tried to stand, only to find they refuse to support him. His knees buckled beneath his weight and he dropped to the floor with a thump.

"That hurt," he groaned, pushing himself up on his elbows.

"Jack?"

Oh God. Not now. The Doctor came to kneel beside him. Jack was surprised to see he was dressed. The Time Lord hooked his arms beneath Jack's, lifting him off the floor and back into the bed.

"You shouldn't be up for a bit, Jack. Now that you've got some decent sleep the effects will be catching up with you."

"That was a sentence," Jack said as he settled in and the Doctor covered him with the duvet. "A real sentence."

The Doctor gave him a half smile.

"As opposed to?"

"The three word maximum I've been getting."

"Ah. Right," he said, looking away from Jack and tugging on his ear in that nervous habit of his. "Sorry about that. I would have given you more warning but it kind of snuck up on me. It hit a bit early."

Jack too one of the Doctor's bandaged hands in his and pulled him gently into his lap. Careful not to hurt him, the Doctor tried to support most of his weight himself. He pressed a gentle kiss to Jack's cheek.

"So I'm guessing you have some questions?"

"A few," Jack said. "Like why were you jumping me instead of swinging on me? I thought unbonded males were supposed to fight to see who's on top."

"Yes, but I've been bonded before Jack."

The captain's jaw dropped and his eyes went wide. He'd been with someone before? The arms length, keep all my secrets Doctor had been in a committed relationship?

"Oh, don't look so surprised! I was a teenager once too," the Doctor told him. "He was my best friend. We were at the academy when our first cycles hit. We'd been told by the elders that we were too young to participate and we were to quarantine ourselves until the week was out. Of course, being at that rebellious age, we thought we knew better, thought we could handle ourselves so we bunked up together for the week."

"I'm guessing that thought died quickly?"

"Oh yes. He was always stronger than me. I had the brains over him any day of the week but he had the brawn and as you've seen, brain function flies out the window. He overpowered me easily. Claimed me right there."

"Which made you a permanent submissive," Jack finished.

"Glad to see you paid attention to your reading," the Doctor said with a smile before continuing. "Yes, I was made a submissive for he rest of my long life. It's why I could never give Rose what needed from me. We could never have children and I wouldn't exactly make a good protector once that week rolled round. If I had been a dominant, oh I could be ferocious that week. Could rip a cyberman in half with my bare hands."

"Well I don't know about a cyberman," Jack teased. "but you certainly showed that counter top a thing or two."

The Doctor glared at him.

"Anway," he said. "That was another reason the other me was perfect for her. It's like a complete reset. He has the chance to become a dominant and he's reproductively compatible with her but his human half means he can't hurt her when he loses it for a week. No Time Lord strength."

Jack nuzzled the Doctor's neck lovingly. He knew it had been hard on him to give up Rose but he had never understood exactly why he was always so reluctant with her. Now he knew. He hadn't kept her at arms length because he had commitment issues or because she was human but because he felt she deserved more. He wanted her to have the option of babies and growing old together. He wanted her to have a man who could take care of her all the time.

"Jack," the Doctor said quietly, almost hesitant. "It's all kind of a blur for me. I didn't...I mean you didn't..."

Jack raised an eyebrow in question. Oh, how could he word this other than "I didn't fuck you to death did I?"

"You.._survived_ the week, didn't you? No resurrections?"

"Oh," Jack started. "No, I didn't die. Almost did once though. That's when I had to lock you in the TARDIS gardens for an hour. You weren't too happy about that one but I figured it was better than giving you a chance at necrophilia."

The Doctor shuddered at that. While it was almost cruel to separate a submissive from their dominant during a cycle he much preferred an hour alone at the base of a tree to exhausting Jack to death and continuing until he went cold. But Jack had kept up with him without dying. Boe kind or not, that was still impressive. Wait. Boe kind. The Doctor had almost forgotten.

He got up, telling Jack he would go and make him some food. Jack had let him go without a fight, either not suspecting anything or too tired to think of it himself. The Time Lord was almost panicking as he made his way to the kitchen. It had completely slipped his mind that Jack was a fifty first century man and fifty first century humans were compatible with almost everything. All known intelligent species capable of sexual reproduction had been made compatible with humans by that time. However, being a Time Lord, his species was gone as far as anyone knew. However, humans and Time Lords may have been compatible either way. There was a chance. It was a slim chance but it was there and it terrified him.


	7. Chapter 7

Accountability

Chapter Summary: We get a good look into the Doctor's past and reveal why he is so overwhelmed at present.

Warnings: Angst, lime, trauma, mild gore.

Chapter 7: Why Me.

The Doctor was out of his mind as he moved around the kitchen. He couldn't do this. He couldn't face Jack with this. If it happened twice, if he lost everything again, he wouldn't survive it. He wasn't capable of this and he'd proved it.

**Gallifrey. Theta: Age 200**

Theta Sigma sat in his chair, bored as the headmaster spoke to the class. His leg bounced impatiently. He wanted to get to phys ed so bad. It was track day and he was itching to go. Next to him, Koschei had one foot up on the desk, rocking back in his chair with a pencil balanced on his curled upper lip, also bored.

"As you all may have heard, the time is upon us to enter our cycles. While you are of the age to be affected, you are not mature enough to join the adults in this week."

Koschei rolled his eyes and leaned over to Theta.

"Yes. Heaven forbid we enjoy ourselves in this god awful place," he whispered. Theta grinned back at him in agreement.

"You are to be quarantined to your individual rooms throughout the week to protect you not only from any unbonded staff but from each other as well. You are not to leave your rooms under any circumstance. This is for your own safety and you are to follow these rules no matter what. Consequences for breaking the quarantine will be severe. Now go to your next class and prepare yourselves for confinement at the end of the school day."

All the students stood at once. Theta stretched languidly, the joints of his spine and shoulders cracking. Koschei stood beside him, ready to get out of the classroom. Slowly, they began to file out into the halls. As soon as they passed the headmaster and crossed the threshold it began.

"This is for your own safety," he mocked, deepening his voice and turning his nose up in the air. "You are not mature enough for an entire week of mindless sex. It is illegal for youngsters to enjoy themselves in any way."

Theta laughed, nudging his partner in the ribs. "I know. I can't believe we actually had to sit through that whole speech. It's not like it's that hard to control yourself. Is it really necessary to lock us up?"

"Screw that," Koschei said, rolling his eyes again. "I'm not spendin' a whole week locked up alone with nothing to do but study."

"But how are going to get out of it. You don't want another beating do you?"

"You really think they'll be paying attention," Koschei told him. "All the professors are gonna be shacked up together and screwing. They won't notice one of us slipping out. I'll wait until they all lose it with each other and pop over to your room. Then I just slip back before the week is out."

They turned into the locker rooms to change.

"But what about when it hits us," Theta asked as he pulled off his class robe. "Won't we end up going after each other?"

"Like you said," Koschei told him as he pulled on his track shorts. "It's not that hard to control yourself. And unless you're keeping secrets, neither of us are interested in men."

They pulled on their shirts and trainers while Theta thought about it. He was more attracted to personality than gender if he was honest with himself, but this was Koschei. There may have been a time when they first met that he thought of those muscled arms as more than what protected him from the other boys. The blue eyes and messy blonde hair coupled with that mischievous smirk may have been more than endearing. But now he was just Koschei. They were friends and Theta didn't have many of those here. He was different than the other boys at the school and they knew it. He loved learning as much as any other Time Lord but his love for physical activity coupled with his inborn distaste for authority made him odd. He was smaller than the others and that only made him more of a target for them. He would often find himself cornered in the halls and left with bruises to show him just how much he didn't belong. Then he'd met Koschei during an assembly. While the rest of the student body sat listening with rapt attention, he was daydreaming to himself. Then he had heard a low muttering beside him. Koschei had been doing that same impersonation of the headmaster then. Theta had been unable to hold in a quiet giggle.

Koschei had looked over at him, thrilled that someone else found his impression amusing. They spent the whole assembly that way. Koschei went on making rude comments in the headmaster's voice until Theta was doubled over in barely contained laughter. They had been attached at the hip ever since.

"I suppose you're right," they walked out to the track together. "So what are we going to do for a week?"

"What, now I've got to think of everything? You're the brains of this operation," Koschei said, stretching his legs by the side of the track. They were the first ones out as everyone else liked to hide out in the locker rooms as long as possible to avoid as much exercise as they could.

"Alright, alright." Theta stretched straight down to touch his toes. "I'll come up with something. Maybe even smuggle a deck of cards. I've been reading about some earth card games that sound like fun."

"Right then. Loser buys lunch," Koschei called as he took off down the track.

"Oi! Not fair!"

xxxxxx

Theta sat, leaning back at his desk with a book and snacking on crisps. The rooms had been checked and locked and that meant Koschei would be there any minute. He had snacks, board games and that deck of cards he'd promised to get. A week in his room didn't seem so bad as long as he wasn't alone. Sure enough, there was the sound of tinkering at his door followed by the click of the lock. Koschei came waltzing through the door, twirling a lock pick on his finger.

"Told you. Easy peasy. Everyone's all wrapped up in each other."

"Yes yes. You're amazing," Theta said, rolling his eyes. "Now what do you wanna do?"

"Eat. I'm bloody starving. What have we got?"

"Crisps, cakes, jerky,"

"Jerky's mine," Koschei called, grabbing the bag from the desk and flopping down on the cot. He tore into it like he hadn't eaten in days even though they'd been served dinner only two hours before. Theta took one of the snack cakes for himself, nibbling on the edge of it.

"Why's it so hot in here? My room's not this hot."

"Dunno," Theta said, stretching as he stood to put the book back on the shelf. "Maybe the heating's gone a bit off. I don't suppose maintenance has the attention span to fix it right now."

They laughed at that. Breaking out the deck, Theta showed his companion how to play Black Jack. Koschei didn't like to lose though. After six or seven hands, he threw the cards down, declaring it was a stupid game and he was going to bed. He took the spare pillow and blankets to set himself up on the floor.

"Don't be a sore loser, Koschei."

"Screw you," he growled, crawling under the blankets.

"I'm just saying. You don't have to throw a fit about it. Everyone loses sometimes."

"Shut up! I didn't lose because it was dumb. Dumb earth games don't count."

"Oh, please," Theta growled. "At least tell the truth. It doesn't count because nothing ever counts when I win."

He wasn't sure why he was making such a big deal out of this. He'd always let it go when Koschei had one of his sulking bouts over losing. But this time, he felt the need to keep going. It was poking the bear and he knew it but even that knowledge didn't deter him.

"What are you saying," Koschei growled back.

"I'm saying you're a child who can't stand it when they don't get their way."

Koschei sprung up from his makeshift bed then. He marched up to Theta until their faces were less than an inch apart. His expression was one of barely contained fury.

"Take it back," he snarled. Theta stared him down with a growl of his own.

"Child."

Theta winced as he was grabbed by his robes and slammed against a wall. Koschei pinned him there with one hand while the other pulled back to land a punch to his jaw. Finding a strength he didn't know he had, he shoved the larger boy off him, landing his own punch to the gut. Koschei let out a feral growl and grabbed hold of Theta, pinning him to the floor. Theta thrashed and bucked beneath him in a sad attempt to escape. He snarled and snapped and tried his hardest to buck the other boy off. Koschei used his size to his advantage and held the smaller boy down while he fought, letting him tire himself out.

Eventually, he stilled, breathing hard and glaring up at his friend. Koschei stared back. The air was thick with tension and aggression and something else neither could identify. That mystery element soon became clear.

It was Koschei who made the first move, crashing their lips together in a bruising kiss. Teeth gnashed together and tongues tangled with the ferocity and desperation that poured from them both. Hands fisted in robes and ripped them open, exposing Theta's bare chest. Aching to feel naked flesh, Koschei dove into the torn garment, his touch roaming over any part of his companion he could reach. Theta's arms wrapped around his neck and his back arched, giving better access to his lean form.

Somewhere in the back of his head, a voice screamed at him to stop this, that he was messing up the only friendship he had in this hell hole, but his body refused to listen, seeking only to quench this newly ignited fire. It felt good when Koschei touched him and that was all that mattered now. The kisses had moved to his neck, exciting the nerve endings there. Little nips mixed in just the right amount of pain to make it feel even better.

Koschei's mind and body burned as he moved frantically, mapping out every curve, every freckle of the willing body beneath him with hands and lips and tongue, committing it all to memory. He didn't know what had come over them and for the moment he didn't care. One thought, one need was all consuming. Mine. He had to claim the other boy. He needed to own him completely.

Theta gasped as the rest of his robe was torn through. His pants followed, the cloth shredded, leaving him bare beneath the piercing gaze of the other boy. He looked up into the icy blue eyes, dark with lust as they held his own green ones. Koschei pulled off his own clothes hurriedly to leave himself bared as well. Thjeta's gaze fell between the other boy's legs and heat flared through him stronger than before. It stood proud from its nest of blonde curls. The word manageable came to mind. It was by no means small but not overly impressive either. But he wanted it. His head fell back and he moaned as his legs were lifted to hook over broad shoulders and his body sang as he was entered for the first time.

xxxxxx

Everything was a blur from then on. When he tried to remember the events of that week, all he got was the ghost of pleasure and shadows of the time they'd spent together. Small sections came in clear, like when he'd been taken against the wall and bent over the desk but other couplings came up vague and abstract. When the haze had worn off they could barely look at each other. It seemed the adults were still in the thick of it so Koschei had decided to slip out to his own room to be sure they wouldn't get caught.

That was the last time they had seen each other. They would spare glances when they passed in the halls and Theta could feel Koschei staring at him during classes but neither of them spoke. While Koschei had other friends to sit with at lunch and in class, Theta found himself completely alone. Everything was back to the way it had been before they met. He was shoved and shouldered in the halls, his books knocked out of his arms. At one point he'd even been shoved into a wall hard enough that his head cracked against it. The culprits had walked away laughing and when his vision had cleared, he had spotted Koschei just a few feet away. He'd seen the entire thing and done nothing to help. He stared at Theta with a look he couldn't place and turned to head off on his own way.

He couldn't bear it. Theta hauled himself off the floor and headed for the nearest bathroom. Thankful it was empty, he locked himself in one of the stalls. He slid down, back to the door and broke down into quiet tears. Those tears became uncontrollable sobs. What had he done wrong? Had he offended the other boy somehow? He hadn't started this, so why was he the one being punished? It was Koschei's idea to break the stupid quarantine and now he was treating poor Theta like he had the plague. What hurt the most was that he would give anything just to have Koschei near him again. He didn't care if it was as friends or lovers anymore as long as they were together.

After an hour, he'd finally calmed down enough to go to his next class. Theta walked out into the empty halls, his mind still wandering with thoughts of Koschei and how he could possibly repair their friendship. The next thing his mind registered was pain as he found himself shoved into a wall the second time that day.

"Look who's all alone," One of the boys sneered.

There were three of them looming over him, hiding him from view if anyone should happen to pass by. One of them he recognized as Gamma grabbed him around the throat.

"What happened? Koschei finally sick of putting up with you? Has he lost patience with the weirdo?"

Gamma's grip tightened, choking him as he was pushed slowly up the wall. Theta grabbed at his arm, trying to free himself as he was lifted higher and higher until his feet were no longer touching the floor. The cruel hand on his neck grasped even tighter making breathing almost impossible while spots flashed in his vision. He had to relax, had to calm himself or respiratory bypass wouldn't kick in, but he couldn't stop the panic from rising.

"Hey!"

Theta tried to see who yelled but the edges of his vision were going black. Then he was on his knees, gasping for breath. Koschei stood before him with Gamma's wrist trapped in his grip. Again, he didn't spare a glance for his friend, focused entirely on the others in front of him. His face was one of twisted enjoyment as his hand slowly closed tighter and tighter.

"Funny things, bones," he said with a sick grin. "Usually so strong, but find just the right place and apply just the right amount pressure like so,"

There was a sickening snap followed by Gamma's tortured screams until Koschei let go. He chuckled with a dark satisfaction.

"They become oh so fragile, don't they?"

His expression turned serious with a growled command for them to leave. The other two hauled their friend up and took off down and around the corner. Finally, he turned to face Theta. He was noticeably conflicted as he stared down. He seemed to make a decision and knelt down in front of the other boy.

Theta winced as Koschei ran his fingers lightly over the angry red hand print on his throat. It would bruise without a doubt. Anger flashed in those blue eyes briefly before giving way to regret. Comforting hands cupped his face and their foreheads touched. Theta closed his eyes, savoring the contact since it could be taken away at any moment and he could easily return to being invisible.

"I can't keep doing this, Theta."

Theta's heart sank.

"I can't keep pretending nothing happened. I thought if I stayed away it would get easier. Maybe this feeling would go away."

What was he talking about?

"But I'm through fighting it. You're mine and if I have to force you to believe that so I can protect you then so be it."

And just like that, Koschei was kissing him. Their first proper kiss. Theta didn't fight it in the slightest, letting his eyes slide shut and tilting his chin up for a more comfortable angle. He submitted easily, surrendering himself to this claiming act. Koschei was thrilled by the lack of resistance as he staked his claim on the other Time Lord. Theta was his and all too willing to accept that. Koschei gently coaxed his friend, no, his lover to open his mouth, letting his tongue slip past those soft lips to deepen the kiss. The need to possess and to mark his territory only grew as he plundered the wet cavern. He was careful to avoid the delectatio. It simply wouldn't do for them to lose control in the hall where they were easily caught. No, that would have to wait. Right now he just wanted everyone to know that Theta was his and no one else was to touch him.

They reluctantly broke apart. Theta leaned into one of the palms cupping his cheek, willing this to continue.

"I missed you," he said quietly, trying to keep himself from crying again.

"Missed you too," Koschei replied.

He stood and held out a hand to help Theta up. Curling his arms around the slim waist, Kochei pulled his new lover to him. He hadn't expected Theta would accept this so easily. They'd bonded accidentally so he had expected to be met with resentment, especially as he tried to claim Theta, hater of authority, as his. But none of that mattered now. Theta was all too willing to be his and they were together. He pressed one final, chaste kiss to those full pink lips.

"Come on before we miss another class."

"How did you know where I was," Theta asked as he was led down hall with Koschei's hand resting on his lower back.

"Well," he started. "I sort of followed you to make sure you were alright. I was waiting for you to come out of the bathroom and then those assholes showed up."

Theta just smiled. So his friend still cared after all.

"So...what are we now?"

"I told you," Koschei said. "You're mine whether you like it or not." He nudged the other boy playfully.

"So," Theta asked with a smile. "Does that mean I can do this?"

Theta leaned closer into Koschei, resting his head on his shoulder. Koschei curled an arm tighter around him and smiled.

"Yes. You can definitely do that."

xxxxx

They fell into an easy routine over the following weeks. Koschei would come to Theta's room each morning to pick him up. Any class they didn't have together Theta was escorted to and picked up afterward and they sat as close to each other as possible when they did share a class. Lunch was often spent in one of their rooms. While they hadn't actually slept together since that week they would spend the whole lunch period and any free periods they had snogging. Theta found his favorite place was quickly becoming Koschei's lap. It was amazing how that week had changed their feelings for each other. He was aware that there had been a chemical change in himself but he was surprised at how much Koschei had been effected. However, troubling signs started to emerge.

"Where were you," Koschei whispered as Theta took his seat. He was late for class again. The last few days had the Time Lord showing up late to at least one class. "You were already gone when I came to pick you up his morning and now you're late here."

"Sorry," Theta whispered back. "I was in the bathroom."

"Again? That excuse only works so many times you know."

"It's not an excuse," he said, laying his head on the blessedly cool desk top. "I keep feeling like I'm going to be ill."

"Still," Koschei asked worriedly. "It's been three days now."

"I know," Theta yawned.

"Tired too?"

Theta nodded, closing his eyes as the coldness of the desk soothed his pounding head. He didn't want to tell Koschei he had actually been getting ill. He didn't want him to worry. The force and frequency of it had his head throbbing and pulsing painfully behind his eyes. Koschei's fingers started carding through his hair comfortingly.

"You should see the nurse."

Theta shook his head. "'m fine."

"I'm sorry. Let me make that a bit clearer. You're going to the nurse," Koschei said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Will you stay with me," he asked with just a hint of pleading.

"Yes. I'll stay."

"Kay."

He couldn't even hear the lecture. His lover stroking his hair was the only thing getting through to him. He wasn't sure when he'd nodded off but soon Koschei was waking him up for his trip to the nurse. He really didn't want to go. He had a bad feeling about it. Still, he knew Koschei wouldn't let him out of it but he wouldn't let them hurt him or do anything he didn't want either. He leaned heavily on the taller boy, still not entirely awake.

"Come on love. Almost there."

Theta yawned, and nodded. Koschei held him tightly, not quite trusting his coordination. Something was definitely wrong. He was a minute away from saying screw it and carrying him to the nurse. He looked ready to drop over any minute.

The nurse looked up from her book as they entered.

"Oh my. Poor dear looks like death warmed over," she said, moving over to support Theta's other side. "Let's get him on the cot."

Theta had been on the cot all of thirty seconds before his lack of sleep caught up with him. He was out cold again. The nurse tried to wake him but Koschei stopped her.

"He needs it. He's been exhausted and vomiting for three days straight now."

"Oh my. Let me take his vitals and then I'll run a few scans. Let's see here."

The nurse opened a drawer, removing several scanners. Picking one up, she motioned Koschei off to one side. She turned a dial and a ray of green light came across the cot. It scanned over his hearts and a healthy four patterned beat filled the room. The lungs came up fine and his blood pressure reading was positive. She continued the scan, heading steadily toward his toes but as the beam reached his abdomen there was another sound. It sounded like a rapid, tiny tapping. Koschei's brow furrowed in confusion.

"What on earth is that?"

"That," the nurse snapped, turning off the device. "Is the source of the problem. It looks like someone broke quarantine."

"How do you figure that," Koschei growled, not liking her suddenly threatening tone.

"Well there's only one time we can conceive and he couldn't have done it to himself," she said, scrawling something on a chart and picking up her desk phone.

"Wait. So he's,"

"Pregnant. Yes."

Koschei looked down at the sleeping form and gently took one pale hand in his. A baby. Their baby. The school wasn't going to take well to this. He'd be damned if he'd let them ruin it for them though. He couldn't keep himself from laying a palm over the flat belly and imagining the little hearts beating inside, the little life dwelling there. He was going to be a daddy. There was no stopping the smile that pulled at the corners of his mouth. Pride welled up in him as he pressed a gentle kiss to Theta's forehead. They would soon be parents and it thrilled him.

xxxxx

"So did you tell your parent's yet?"

"Yes," Theta said, rolling his eyes. "They think the three of us should do it alone and cut you out. They weren't very happy when I told them I'd rather do it entirely alone than do it without you. What about your parents?"

They turned the corner to enter their first class.

"They want nothing to do with us or the baby. I'm officially disowned."

"Don't sound so upset," Theta teased.

"I'm not. Never liked them anyway. But my intelligence has saved us," Koschei said with a smile. "I emptied my bank account before I told them."

"And how does that save us," Theta asked.

"They'd been giving me five hundred credits a month allowance since I was three and I've never spent a cent of it."

"But. ...but that's over,"

"Exactly."

Theta flopped down in his chair, eyes wide.

"I can't believe it."

"I know. We can buy ourselves a little place, pay cash, buy everything the baby needs and still have a decent chunk of walking around money left over."

"No," he said, glaring over at Koschei. "I can't believe I've been paying for your food while you sat on that nest egg."

"You should lose bets less," Koschei shrugged. "So I say we take a year or two off school,"

"Or hire tutors mister money bags."

"Focus on just us and the baby for awhile. Then, when they're older, we can hire a nanny for while we're at school during the day."

Theta smiled. "I actually really like the sound of that. When did you want to start looking for a place?"

"We have three open houses after school today. Pick whichever one you like."

xxxxxx

Theta sat down on the sofa with a few magazines.

"These are some different nursery themes. I've circled a few I like and I wanted your opinion."

Koschei leaned forward to see the pictures as Theta spread the magazines open on the coffee table. There were a few he liked but some seemed downright bizarre.

"My child is not sleeping in a Judoon themed bedroom."

"Oh, but kids love them. I always wanted Judoon toys when I was younger. They were the it thing."

"Were being the operative word. You try to sleep with one of those things staring at you. And no ducks. The ducky theme is just lazy."

Theta pouted as two of his favorites were eliminated. He turned the page to show the Jungle theme and the butterfly theme. Jungle was decided on as the theme for a boy and after an hour of arguing, they chose a Bagorax theme for a girl. They were adorable creatures. They looked like rabbits with electric blue and pale pink fur. With that out of the way they decided to settle down for the night with a movie.

xxxxx

Koschei smiled as he caught his lover in the bedroom, standing in front of the full length mirror sideways with his shirt pulled up. He was staring at the barely noticeable bulge there, running his fingers over it.

"I can't believe this tiny bump already has me up a trouser size."

Koschei laughed.

"It's only because you were so skinny to begin with. Just wait until your belly button pops out."

Theta's head jerked toward him in alarm.

"No."

Koschei shrugged,walking down to start breakfast with an amused smile as Theta called after him.

"You are kidding, right? That doesn't happen. Koschei, tell me you're kidding."

xxxxx

"Koschei," he whispered, gently shaking him. "Koschei, are you awake?"

The blonde sighed, turning over to face the other.

"I am now. What is it?"

"You don't suppose that little shop with the sandwiches I like is open, do you?"

"No, I don't suppose they're open at," he glanced at the alarm clock. "Three in the morning."

"Oh," Theta said with a hint of disappointment. Koschei sat up.

"Would you like me to make you one?"

"You don't have to," he said with a sigh. "I guess I can just wait until tomorrow."

"Fine then," Koschei said, rolling over to go back to sleep.

It was quiet for a minute or two before Theta sighed loudly.

"Right." Koschei threw the blankets off him, pulling on his robe and slippers.

"You really don't have to. I don't want to trouble you."

"The usual?"

"Yes please."

He made his way down the stairs, grumbling to himself as he went to the kitchen and pulled out what he needed. Ten minutes later, he was tromping back up with a plate and a bottle of water.

"Here."

"Thank you," Theta said, giving Koschei a big smile.

Koschei laid down again, trying to get back to sleep.

"Is there pickle in this," Theta asked with his mouth full.

"Yes, just the way you always get it."

Theta shot out of bed, running for the bathroom and the sound of retching echoed through the second floor. Koschei sat up and turned to face the wall, banging his head against it over and over.

xxxxx

Theta carefully moved his hands away, holding his breath. That was when Koschei walked in to see his lover with his feet up on the coffee table balancing the bowl on his bulging belly.

"What are you doing?"

"I learned a new trick. Now shut up or it'll fall."

xxxxx

"Come on," Koschei said, nudging the rounded belly. "Just once for daddy."

"She doesn't want to."

"How do you know?"

"I don't, but if you poke me one more time you'll get a kick for sure. And it won't be from her."

xxxxx

Theta was pacing the room, trying to keep calm. Koschei sat in the chair beside the bed, his leg bouncing as he chewed his thumb nail impatiently. It always seemed so much faster in the films. Your water broke, you drove to the hospital and fifteen to twenty minutes later you had your baby. Though he supposed they couldn't possibly put all twenty seven hours of labor into the film.

"I want my clothes," Theta growled. "I hate this stupid gown. Why can't I just wear my own clothes? What did I pack them for if I can't wear them."

"You can wear them after the birth. Right now they need quick access in case of complications," Koschei told him.

"Well it's stupid! They could at least make them white instead of this disgusting floral."

He kept pacing, wincing as another contraction hit. The doctor walked in then, picking up his chart and flipping through it.

"Okay, Theta. How are you doing," he asked.

"Oh I'm just peachy," he growled, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Well, why don't you lie down and we'll see how things are progressing."

He lay back on the bed, praying for good news. He was overjoyed when he was told he could start pushing. Koschei was right there to hold his hand he entire time as he went through contraction after contraction, surrounded by nurses making notes and taking measurements while the doctor stayed seated between his legs, waiting for the baby to crown.

"Okay, Theta. I can see her head. One more should do it."

Koschei squeezed his hand. "There we are. Just once more and she'll be here. Little Emma will be right here with us."

Theta took a deep breath and braced himself, giving a big push. Relief flooded him as the intense pressure was gone. He laid back against the pillows, gasping for breath. It was finally over but something was wrong. It was quiet. He leaned forward, looking down where a nurse was holding Emma and rushing out of the room.

"Wait a minute," he said. "Where is she going? Where are you taking her? Why isn't she crying?"

The doctor was talking to another nurse in hushed tones before he too left the room.

"Wait," Theta yelled. "Where's Emma? What's going on? Where's my baby?"

No one told them anything and Koschei was stopped when he tried to follow. They sat in the room, not knowing where their baby was or if she was okay. The doctor entered the room again, looking tired. Koschei was the first to jump on him, gripping the front of the white lab coat.

"Someone better tell me what the bloody hell is going on! That's my daughter you've taken and if I don't hear something in the next five seconds you're going to find yourself with a new face!"

The doctor took hold of Koschei's wrists, looking sadly between him and Theta.

"I'm sorry," he said. "She's no longer with us."

Koschei looked at him in disbelief. Theta stared blankly at the wall across from him.

"Her hearts were weak and they stopped with each contraction," the doctor was explaining, but Theta couldn't hear him. He could only stare as it slowly sank in. His baby was gone. She was dead. He would never hold his little girl. He brought his knees up to his chest and started to sob.

xxxxx

**TARDIS. The Doctor: Age 945**

The Doctor sat against the wall of the kitchen, hugging his knees as silent tears streamed down his face. His daughter, taken from him before her life began. The first man to ever hold his heart, ripped away by the trauma and emotional stress. And now it was all happening again. He couldn't do it again. If Jack left he would end himself and that would be it. The TARDIS hummed frantically, the humming getting louder and louder until a hand came down on his shoulder.

"Doc? Hey," Jack sat beside him, alarm clear on his face. "What's wrong sweethearts?"

Seeing Jack right now was the final nail in the coffin. He broke down and threw himself into Jack's arms, sobbing.

"Hey now. Calm down," he said, stroking his fingers through the brown spikes. "Tell me all about it, baby."


	8. Chapter 8

Accountability

Chapter Summary: The Doctor is so afraid of losing this bit of happiness he's found. How can Jack comfort him? And what does Jack find when he's called back to the hub for a mission?

Warnings: Naked chimeras. ...it's a pretty clean chapter otherwise.

Chapter 8: Move in With Me.

_Seeing Jack right now was the final nail in the coffin. He broke down and threw himself into Jack's arms, sobbing._

_"Hey now. Calm down," he said, stroking his fingers through the brown spikes. "Tell me all about it, baby."_

Jack rocked the Doctor gently in his lap, trying to calm him. "Tell me what's got you so upset."

"I-I can't," he gasped into Jack's chest.

"Yes you can. You can tell me anything. Come on."

"N-no. I mean I won't get through it."

"Okay," Jack whispered. "Then maybe you can show me?"

The Doctor sniffed, his face hidden against Jack's neck. It was hard to relive. He hated thinking about it. It was too painful. But Jack needed to know. He had to make him understand. Maybe if he knew about the past he would be more forgiving than Koschei if there was a repeat in the near future. He took a deep breath, an attempt to calm himself, before taking Jack's face in his hands and laying their foreheads together.

It was so different from the first time. The gentleness was missing. It wasn't as bad as the academy training. That felt like someone taking a jack hammer to your front door, demanding entry. This was pleading, like someone desperately knocking and begging for sanctuary. Jack allowed him in and his mind was flooded with images and memories that weren't his own. There were scars and bruises from classmates, even teachers looking disdainfully at him. There was one friend and then that friend was more.

Everything the Doctor had gone through there coursed through Jack's mind at an alarming rate. The images and the emotions attached all imprinted themselves on his brain. Then his own feelings began to accompany them. There was sadness for the plight of the poor misfit boy, anger at the ones who had the gall to cause him pain, overwhelming anguish at the loss he'd endured and then a bizarre mix of anger and sadness when he sensed the Doctor's guilt. He blamed himself.

The barrage finally ceased when he heard a whimper. His eyes opened and he saw where his hands clenched around the Doctor's arms too tightly. He looked up at Jack, silently asking him to let go. Jack relaxed his grip, rubbing the sore spots apologetically.

"Sorry," he said gently, pulling him in for a hug instead. "It was just a little overwhelming all at once."

The Doctor nodded, curling his arms around Jack's neck. He knew exactly how hard it was to absorb all that.

"But I honestly thought you were smarter than that."

He winced at Jack's words. So that's how he felt. The Doctor tried to pull away only to be held tighter, Jack even going so far as to wrap his legs around the Time Lord as well.

"It wasn't your fault dummy."

Brown eyes went wide in disbelief. He had never expected to hear those words. No one had ever told him that when it came to Emma.

"But it is. I was too young and I didn't listen and she died because of it," he started to rattle off every form of blame he'd ever received for it. He didn't listen to the elders, he didn't relax enough, he hadn't exercised enough, he should have been eating better, the list went on and on.

"Doctor,"Jack interrupted. "She died because her hearts stopped during delivery. That could have happened to anybody. It happens to people on earth all the time. Babies are fragile things. Sometimes they just die and it isn't anyone's fault. It has nothing to do with you."

He gently stroked the Doctor's hair. "It wasn't your fault. You have to know that. Do you really think she'd want you to punish yourself forever?"

"If she's anything like her father," he said with a halfhearted smile.

"Don't do that," Jack chastised him. "That's not helping anything. Look at me."

Jack tilted the Doctor's chin up. "She was your daughter," he said gently. "She would have loved you. And she would have wanted you to be happy. If she's anything like you, it would kill her to see her daddy doing this to himself. Fuck the elders, fuck your parents and fuck Koschei. Take it from someone who's been a father more than once. No little girl wants to see her daddy hurting."

Brown eyes went wide at Jack's words. How had he never seen that? He'd been so concerned with what everyone else felt about it he had never stopped to consider what she might feel, what Emma may think about him behaving this way. He found he was laughing in spite of himself.

"I should have known."

"Known what," Jack asked.

"All this time and I never considered that. It would be a human to think of something I didn't in over seven hundred years. I suppose I wouldn't be a very good parent if she saw this. Not a good thing to teach your kids, is it."

"No, it's not," Jack told him. "But what brought all this up in the first place?"

"Well we did just have six days worth of fertile, unprotected sex, Jack. There's a chance I may be facing this again soon."

"But you're a Time Lord and I'm-"

"A fifty first century human. As in, very versatile. As in who knows what's going to happen."

Jack resisted the urge to slap himself. How had he not thought of protection? He'd been on earth for so long he'd almost entirely forgotten just how how versatile he was in terms of reproduction. He almost never had romantic contact with other species anymore so it hadn't occurred to him that maybe he could get the Doctor pregnant. All his time on one planet had made him thick.

"Oh my God," he said pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm so stupid."

"You're not stupid Jack, you're just going local," the Doctor said, pushing himself up off the floor.

"But when will we know for sure? What do we look for," Jack asked as he rose off the floor to join the Doctor who finally started making the food.

"The usual. Sickness, headaches, fatigue, mood swings."

Jack didn't miss the nervousness in the Time Lord's tone and posture. He came up behind the other man who was beating a bowl of eggs and curled his arms around his waist.

"Are you okay?"

"Not really no," the Doctor said, adding cinnamon and vanilla to the mixture. "I don't know if I can handle it Jack. If I am pregnant, what are we going to do? This life isn't exactly a positive child rearing environment. And can you imagine the kinds of things or people that will want to take a look at them or experiment? What if our child is like you?"

"Well excuse me," Jack snapped.

"No, I mean, what if they can't die either? We have each other and we're very lucky for that but any child of ours will be all alone or constantly having to move on or watch the ones they love grow old and pass away,"

"You're getting ahead of yourself, sweethearts." Jack kissed him on the cheek. "We don't even know if we have anything to worry about yet. First things first. What are you making?"

"Really, Jack?"

"What! I'm pretty sure I lost twenty pounds this week. I'm hungry."

"French toast," the Doctor said, rolling his eyes.

"Bacon?"

"If you want," he laughed. He couldn't help it. No matter how serious the situation Jack could diffuse it. He could be so immature at times but in a way that only made him that much more charming.

Jack grinned, nipping the Doctor's ear. "Do we have oranges?"

"Yes, Jack."

"I'll start on the juice then."

The Doctor smiled to himself. Having another baby would be hard but maybe, just maybe, doing it with Jack would make it that much easier.

xXxXx

They talked a lot over breakfast. They had decided that for the time being, until they knew for sure what they were dealing with, it was best to stay at the hub and lie low. The TARDIS needed a few repairs anyway. They weren't dangerous problems but it would certainly make for smoother flight and the Doctor had been putting them off far too long. Jack told him they could use his expertise in the meantime and he would be put on the payroll as John Smith.

"So, we'd officially be living together," the Doctor asked with a smile.

"Did you really think I'd let you live anywhere else," Jack countered with a smile of his own. "But my room is pretty small."

"We could just stay on the TARDIS."

"We could," he said, taking the Doctor's hand in his. "Or we could try something new."

"I'm not getting a house," the Doctor defended, pulling his hand back and stroking the counter top. "Not with my girl right here."

"I'm not saying sell the TARDIS," Jack said. She hummed a warning at him. "I would never let you give her up. I just think it might be nice to leave this part of our lives behind us completely at night. Why not rent a nice flat for ourselves? We can always spend the night here when we feel like it and we'd have our own special place. Just you and me. No aliens threatening to kill us or earth, no mauve signals to worry about."

The Doctor looked unsure. Since he'd gotten her he had never slept away from his TARDIS for any extended period of time. But she would be just a short drive away.

"You don't have to make a decision right now," Jack assured him. "Just something to think about in the meantime. But if you are pregnant we're getting a house and that's non negotiable. Can you imagine trying to put a baby to sleep in the hub or even here? Too much going on."

"Alright," the Doctor agreed. "I see your point. So when did you want to go back?"

"Probably now," Jack said, biting his lip guiltily. "I got a text from Ianto about an hour ago and they need my help with something. There's been a rift spike and they got a call from Andy soon after saying they may want to come down to an alleyway near a pub and see what they'd found."

"Any idea what it may be," the Doctor asked.

"All they said was it's not attacking anyone. It hasn't tried to make contact either though. They can't get a good look at it without getting too close for comfort but it's definitely alive and since Gwen's been desked until after the baby's born Ianto needs back up."

"Alright then," the Doctor said, getting up and heading for the console room. He flipped a few switches and pulled a lever or two and the distinct sound of materialization filled the room. "Do you need me to come along or can I stay behind and get some work done in here?"

"It's up to you. I'm pretty sure there would have been some kind of attack by now if it were hostile."

He turned to Jack. "Just promise me you won't shoot anything?"

"Not unless it's necessary," he said, pulling on his great coat.

"It's never necessary."

"I beg to differ but I'll try my best to keep my trigger hand empty." Jack gave his lover a quick kiss goodbye, promising he'd be back in about an hour before he stepped out into the hub.

The Doctor watched after him with a smile. He would have loved to go, but right now he just needed the familiarity of the TARDIS for some comfort. As long as he had her and Jack everything would be fine. He would be safe and everything would turn out for the best. He patted her control panel lovingly.

"Alright girl. Let's see what we've got under the hood."

xXxXx

Jack stepped out of his office and down the stairs, glad to see the hub again.

"Ianto!"

The Welshman came up from the cells, gun holstered on his hip and pulling his own jacket on. He wasted no time in briefing Jack on the situation.

"Right. I've got a cell prepared for quarantine. We're headed for a pub called The Fox Trot. A call was received about two hours ago saying there was something rooting around the trash in the alley. When tranquilizer darts had no effect they figured it was probably in our jurisdiction," he filled Jack in.

Jack shook his head. "If you brought me back early for a dog I'm gonna be super pissed."

"I'll drive," Ianto said, ignoring him and making his way to the lift. Jack joined him and the lift rose up into the plass where the SUV was parked. The drive didn't take long. Before Ianto could switch the car off Jack was out and stalking over to the police barriers. He was in boss mode as he passed the caution tape and Ianto saw one of the officers staring reverently after him. It _was_ hard to ignore that manly swagger of his.

Jack just wanted to get this over with. It's not that he didn't love his job. He just had something far more tempting waiting for him at home. It was rainy as usual, the pavement dark and wet as he came to the mouth of the alley. Bottles and cans rattled inside the dumpster as whatever it was climbed around inside. Jack turned to look at Ianto. He nodded to him, signaling that he was going in and to cover him. Ianto pulled his gun out, ready in the event of an attack.

Jack stepped into the alley cautiously, stopping a few feet in front of the dumpster. The creature seemed oblivious to his approach.

"Hello?" The movement stopped. "Are you lost," he called. "We can help you but you have to come out."

There was no response. Jack chanced a step closer and called out again. "Are you hurt? Do you need help?"

A furry pointed ear became visible over the edge of the green metal, pricked up in interest. Damn. It was a dog.

"Well I'm so glad I came out here for this," Jack grumbled to himself. He walked up to the dumpster, apprehension gone and started to call to the animal.

"Come here. Come on puppy, come to Jack."

Jack hadn't expected what jumped out of the dumpster at him. He was knocked to the ground as the mass connected with his chest and found himself being attacked by a wet tongue. Ianto yelled worriedly but Jack was laughing. He tried to push the body off of him as his cheeks were assaulted with licks and managed to at least get them upright. Sitting in his lap was a naked, ginger girl, her head topped with two furry ears and a tail wagging behind her. She smiled at Jack who had a hold of her under the arms to keep her from his face and craned her neck to get one last lick at the tip of his nose. Jack laughed lightly and settled her in his lap better.

"You are a long way from home, aren't you girl?" He tilted her head up to look at her neck. He pulled out the two darts buried there, noting they were indeed useless on her. "No collar. No wrist or ankle bracelets either."

"Jack," Ianto came into the alley carrying a blanket. "Who is she?"

"Well, it's more a question of what," Jack said, taking the blanket to wrap around her shoulders. "And what she is is a pet. They're called chimeras and they aren't supposed to exist for another few centuries yet. I had one growing up. They pretty much pick up where dogs left off as man's best friend."

"But she's a person," Ianto said.

"She only looks it. In every other way she's very much an animal. They can't talk but they can learn to understand bits of language. Just simple commands. They lack reasoning capabilities and can only follow instinct or do as they're told but they don't have the natural defenses dogs have. If they weren't pets they wouldn't survive."

Jack gently lifted her upper lip with a thumb to see her teeth. They were small and sharp and not all of them were in yet.

"Awww. You're just a baby aren't you," he cooed, ruffling her hair and scratching behind one ear. "You don't even have your big teeth yet. We better take you home and see if you have chip. Someone must be missing you."

"A chip," Ianto questioned.

"Microchipping your pets stays big for a long time, Ianto. Now let's get her back to the hub." He picked her up, swaddled in the blanket and carried her toward the car. Her tail thumped against his thigh and she licked his cheek. She obviously hadn't been lost for long. She was very friendly and there was no fear even though Jack was a complete stranger. He had a feeling he was going to find himself with a new long term pet.

"The Doctor's not going to like this," he said to her in a babying voice. "No he's not. He's gonna kill me for this." She wagged her tail faster. She had no idea what he was saying but he sounded happy enough.

xXxXx

"Ouch!"

The Doctor rubbed his forehead where it had smacked off the console and picked up the ringing phone.

"Who are you and what do you want," he growled.

"Hello to you too sunshine."

He sighed when he heard Jack's voice on the other end. "Sorry. Hi. How'd it go?"

"Actually, I'm gonna need your help. Does the sonic work as a chip reader?"

"Yes, why," the Doctor asked apprehensively.

"Because I may or may not need a chip read."

"But what would you have that has a chip but can't read it?"

"We're on the lift now. Come out to the med bay. Bye."

"Wait, Jack? What do you have," but the line disconnected. "Oh lord. I have a bad feeling about this." The Doctor didn't bother to put his jacket back on as he exited the TARDIS, tie undone and sleeves rolled up. God only knows what Jack had found. As soon as he left Jack's office he could hear his lover laughing and wrestling with something. Curious, he made his way over to the med bay and leaned on the railing to watch, not letting on he was there quite yet

"Okay, okay, okay. Settle down," Jack murmured with a smile to the fidgeting, blanket wrapped bundle in his arms. The captain was trying to get whatever it was to sit still on the exam table. With a toss of its head, the blanket fell to bare shoulders, revealing the ears.

"Jack, you can't be serious."

Jack looked up to where the Doctor stood and flashed an apologetic smile. The Time Lord was not amused.

"Well what was I supposed to do, leave her lost and alone in the rain," he defended. He turned to the squirming puppy on the metal table and started cooing to her. "I couldn't do that to a helpless little baby, could I? No."

The Doctor sighed. "Don't do that. You'll get attached. We have to give her back. She's someone's pet."

"I know," Jack answered him. "But we have to make sure she's okay first. And we'll need the information on the chip if she even has one since she doesn't have anything else."

The Doctor pushed off the rail to make his way down the stairs. He could tell the other man was already fairly attached to the chimera. It was best he get down there before it got out of hand. As he approached the table and got a better look at her though, he had to admit she was quite cute. She looked like she had at least some Corgi in her. Her hair was a fiery red and her eyes a bright green. He couldn't help but smile as she fought to free her arms from the blanket. When the Doctor was a foot away, she seemed to notice him. She stopped squirming and looked at him, excitement sparkling in her eyes and her tail swishing back and forth across the stainless steel.

"That's the Doctor," Jack told her, scratching behind her ear. "He's a friend too. You be a good girl for him, okay?"

Her tail wagged and her eyes closed as she leaned into Jack's hand who continued to talk softly to her. Meanwhile, the Doctor pulled his sonic from his back pocket, running it carefully over her to scan for any injury or infection.

"She's healthy, nothing broken or bruised but she doesn't have a chip either."

"Stray maybe?"

"A stray purebred, Jack?"

Jack agreed that it didn't make any sense. Someone had to be missing her. However, they had no way of knowing where or when home was for her. So what were they going to do with her? Before the Doctor could suggest anything Jack had already picked her up again with that same excited smile on his face and announced he was going to give her a bath.

"We aren't keeping her, Jack," the Doctor called after him. "She belongs to someone."

"And when you find a way to figure out who that is we'll take her back," Jack yelled back over his shoulder. "Until then I think I'll call her Lacy."

"You won't call her anything because we're not keeping her!"

"Yeah, yeah. I heard you the first time," Jack answered but the Doctor noticed he was heading for the office instead of the showers.

"Oi," he yelled, running to catch up with Jack now. "Where do you think you're going with her?"

"I said I was giving her a bath and the TARDIS has a bath tub and a wardrobe, unless you'd rather her continue to wander around naked."

She squirmed in Jack's arms again, wanting to get down and explore a bit for herself but Jack held her tight. He would let her play after she was clean and fed. He really didn't want the whole base smelling like wet dog and the dumpster diving only had her smelling worse. The Doctor walked beside them, complaining the whole way to the bathroom but Jack wasn't listening.

Once the bathroom door was closed Jack set her down on the black tiled floor. Immediately curious, she started shifting around the bathroom, sniffing and exploring while the tub filled. Unfortunately there wasn't much to find so she went over to watch the tub fill instead. Jack had put some fruit scented soap in the water and Lacy watched in fascination as piles of bubbles started to form.

As much as he was against all this bonding, the Doctor couldn't help but be amused watching the little one paw and bite at the bubbles.

"Is that a smile," Jack asked him teasingly.

"Oh alright," the Doctor conceded. "She is cute. I'll give you that but we still can't keep her."

"Give me one good reason other than she belongs to someone. Because unless we can figure out just who that is it isn't a valid argument."

"Well because...we can't...she doesn't..." The Doctor floundered in his search for reasons they couldn't keep the chimera. "We don't have anywhere for her to sleep."

"She can stay here. I'll have Ianto or Gwen pick up a bed and some toys for her."

"What about food," the Doctor argued.

"If we can accommodate a pterodactyl's appetite I think we can handle feeding something her size," Jack said as he rolled up his sleeves and put Lacy in the tub.

"Right. What about training? When will you possibly have time for that?"

"We'll get her trained between the two of us," he said. "Hold still," he laughed as Lacy tried to move her head so his hands were where she wanted, confusing his attempts to wash her hair with petting.

"And if I'm pregnant," the Doctor asked. Finally, that gave Jack pause. "Do you think we can handle a puppy and a baby?"

Jack sighed. "It won't be easy. I know that. But we can't exactly set her free somewhere and chimeras are around for a long time. There's no telling exactly what century she belongs in and we can't just drop her off anywhen without running the risk of her becoming her own grandmother or something."

"But Jack,"

"Besides," he interrupted. "Every kid needs a dog. I had one when I was a boy. We called him Keeley. He was a Husky mix. My brother and I would play with him for hours in the back yard and take him out on walks. He even knew how to fish." Jack smiled at the memory. "He was my best friend. Didn't you ever have a pet?"

"I had K9. That was it. Didn't have to train him, didn't shed, never messed in the house."

"So you've never had a pet you didn't build?"

"Not really, no. I did have fish tank once but they only lasted an hour before a bumpy landing put an end to that."

Jack held out a hand and the Doctor gave him a towel. He wrapped Lacy in it and lifted her out of the water to dry her off. Now that she was clean it was time to find her some clothes.

"Well then it'll be good for you. She's great for practice, aren't you," he said, ruffling Lacy's damp hair. "In fact, why don't you get her dressed? I need to go find Gwen and send her on a food run. I'll make her a list for the pet store too."

"Me? By myself," the Doctor gawked at him.

"Yup," Jack said, handing Lacy over into the Time Lord's arms. "Just come on out when your done."

"Wait. Jack," but Jack was off to find Gwen. The Doctor huffed and looked down at the chimera who lay on her back in his arms. Her green eyes were locked on his face.

"What are you looking at?"

She wagged her tail happily when he spoke to her and licked his cheek. "Oi. None of that. I don't care for spit on my face if you don't mind."

She licked him again, not understanding his words but thrilled with the attention. With a put upon sigh, the Doctor carried her through the halls of the TARDIS to the enormous wardrobe and set her down. Almost immediately, she took off, running through the racks of clothes and feeling the fabric run over her. The Doctor shook his head a her but couldn't help smiling before he caught himself.

"Absolutely not. None of that. We're not keeping her," he scolded as he moved to search for something that would fit her.

xXxXx

Jack looked up from the desk as his office door opened and the Doctor came out, a fully dressed Lacy running circles around the Time Lord's legs. When she caught sight of Jack she ran to him, laying her head in his lap and looking up at him with big begging eyes. The captain gave her ears a scratch, satisfying her need for affection and she was off to explore the rest of the base. He watched her run off as the Doctor came over and settled in his lap.

"You know we can't keep her," he said gently, laying his head on his captain's shoulder. "We can't take her out in public. We really can't keep her if we're getting a flat."

Jack looked at the Doctor with a grin. "Is that your way of agreeing to move in with me?"

"Maybe," the Doctor smiled back kissing Jack gently on the lips. "But we really can't keep her, Jack. You know that."

"I know," he sighed. "Well, not as ours anyway but someone has to take care of her. I guess she'll be another office pet."

"Speaking of which," the Time Lord said, looking around the room. "Lacy's just wandered off by herself...where's the pterodactyl?"

A loud shriek filled the hub coming from the upper levels. "Oh shit." Jack jumped up, almost dumping the Doctor on the floor in he process and sprinted in the direction Lacy had gone.

"Myfanwy, no! Don't eat the puppy!"


	9. Chapter 9

Accountability

Chapter Summary: The Doctor seems to be himself again and he and Jack have been apartment hunting. All is well for the Torchwood team until people start going missing in a normally quiet little suburb. (I swear I don't hate kids! I really don't! This isn't meant to be a pattern!)

Warnings (For all parts of CH 9): Deaths, possession, smexiness, violent mothers.

Chapter 9: Play With Me (Part I)

"Don't stay out too long, love. Supper's almost ready."

A little boy looked up at his mother, his chubby face lit by a smile. The blonde mop of hair shone in the sunlight and his blue eyes sparkled with a youthful innocence, not yet dimmed by the stress and disappointment of a weary life.

"I won't, mummy. I promise."

He ran off the porch to go and play with the other children in the park located in the center of the turnabout. Once he entered the playground he made a b-line for the swings. They were his favorite. The little one swung lazily back and forth, watching the others play jump rope. He was no good at jump rope. He'd stick to his swings.

He hadn't expected his friend Autumn to come and join him. He thought she had been ill. She looked it. Her face was very pale and her eyes were unfocused as she looked at him. She was only two weeks older than him and her family had just moved here from America. Her brown curly hair was tied back in blue ribbon but it looked messy and her dress was dirty. She smiled and reached out a hand.

"Will you play with me," she asked, her head tilted to the side in question.

"Sure," he said, reaching out to take her hand in his. She tugged him forward then.

"Come on. I want to show you something."

He didn't question her, just followed as she pulled him along. He paused when they reached the tree line though. Autumn looked back at him, a question in her eyes.

"Mummy says I'm not allowed in there."

"Don't worry," she said. "It's not far. I promise. It's only a little ways in."

He was unsure, but if it was only a little ways... He followed after her again. True to her word, it wasn't far. She knelt down at the base of a tree and brushed aside a pile of fallen leaves. Something metallic glinted beneath them.

"What is...Autumn, your nose. It's bleeding."

The little girl brought a hand up to her nose, seeing the crimson when she withdrew it.

"Oh no. Now I've got to start over," she said, sounding close to tears.

"What do you mean? Start what over?"

She was crying now as she looked at him. "I'm so sorry. I really, really am," she cried.

"Sorry for what?"

Autumns eyes turned milky and a purple mist flowed from her mouth, nose and ears. He scrambled back, terrified as the mist turned its attentions to him. Autumn was dead. It had killed her and now it was after him. He closed his eyes, a shriek tearing from his throat as the cloud sped toward him.

xXxXx

Gwen, Ianto, Rhys, Jack and the Doctor were all sat in the conference room with that days take away, curry. With Gwen's due date so close Rhys had taken to coming to the hub with her to ensure he wouldn't miss a minute of his daughter's birth. At Jack's order that he make himself useful or go home he had taken over the more menial tasks like feeding the pets and Weevils, cleaning Myfanwy's nest and running errands. They all chatted easily, laughing at each others stories.

"Jack," the Doctor scolded. "Stop spoiling her."

"It was just one piece of chicken," he defended, having been caught slipping Lacy scraps. "She's hungry."

"She is not," Rhys said around his mouthful. "I've already fed her today."

"Then why is she sitting here giving me those eyes?"

"Because she knows you'll give in," Ianto said. "If she's as much dog as you say she doesn't have to be hungry to eat. They'll gorge themselves whether they're hungry or not. You'll make her fat."

Having an office pet that looked so human had taken some getting used to on Ianto and Gwen's part. It had seemed so immoral at first to have her sleeping on cushions and talking to her like an animal but after a week or two it was clear Lacy was more than happy that way and it became easier.

Their debate was interrupted by an insistent beeping coming from the main room of the hub. The Doctor mumbled a quick "be right back" around a mouth full of rice and jumped up excitedly. He darted down the stairs to the flashing monitor and typed in his access code. It worked! The Time Lord grinned, reading the alert that had come through.

"Jack! We've got something."

Skimming through the reports as they flashed onto the screen, he waited for Jack to join him. His captain was behind him in an instant, reading over his shoulder. Six police reports had come up outlining the disappearance of several children in a short span of time. Jack sighed. He hated to put a damper on his lover's enthusiasm.

"I'm sorry Doc, but kidnapping isn't in our jurisdiction."

"It is if the kidnapper isn't human."

"And what makes you think they aren't human," Jack asked, combing through the information for any sign of extra terrestrial involvement.

"How many human kidnappers line up their snatching spree with a rift spike," he queried. "I've programmed some new software to cross reference rift spikes with crime reports in the vicinity soon after." The Doctor pulled a map up on screen. "There was a spike just two miles from there a week ago and then six children suddenly go missing."

"Nice job," Jack said. He was genuinely impressed. Even Tosh hadn't thought to create such a program while she was here. This would definitely come in handy.

"Ianto," Jack called, slipping on his coat. "We're heading out. We have some interviews to conduct."

"Well hang on" the Doctor interrupted. "Why are you taking him? I found it."

"Because I don't," he paused, looking over his shoulder. The other three stared intently, listening to the potential spat. '_Bunch of gossips,_' he thought to himself. He took the Doctor by the elbow, guiding him across the room so they were out of sight and out of ear shot.

"Because," he said quietly. "We don't know what we're dealing with yet. This could be dangerous."

"I'm no stranger to that Jack," he growled. He wasn't helpless.

"I know that," Jack told him. He placed a hand over the Doctor's belly protectively. "But this isn't about you. We still don't know and it's another week at least until we can even scan for it with our equipment."

The Doctor sighed, placing his hand over Jack's. Of course he understood. But he hadn't left the hub for anything other than flat tours since they'd been back. He was getting restless. If he didn't get to do something besides computer and filing work soon he would lose it.

"I'm not asking to go on the front lines. Just let me help. I'm good at talking to people. Gathering intelligence isn't dangerous."

Jack opened his mouth to protest but then the Doctor gave him that big eyed look. Those big brown eyes looked into his, the golden flecks in the irises shining and sparkling with an unspoken pleading. It melted his heart every time. The Captain knew when he had lost.

"Alright. You can come but if I tell you to stay in the car I expect you to do so. Do you understand?"

The Doctor just grinned and ran for his coat.

xXxXx

No sooner had Jack parked the SUV than the Doctor was jumping out and running to the other side of the street.

"Oh come on," Jack laughed.

"No. Absolutely not. I'd rather walk back," the Doctor said, arms crossed defiantly over his chest.

"I'm not that bad a driver."

"You flipped off someone on a bicycle!"

"He was in my lane going under the speed limit."

"He was twelve! And how do you know what the speed limit was! You were driving too fast to read the sign!"

Ianto came up behind the Doctor and patted him on the shoulder comfortingly. "You get used to it."

"No," the Doctor told him. "_You_ get used to it. You don't have to break in a whole new body if we get in a crash. I have thirteen lives and I'm already on number ten. I'd like to put off eleven as long as possible."

"My driving aside," Jack said. He turned to face them, hands in his pockets to fight the biting cold. "We're about to talk to a woman whose six year old just disappeared. Let's get our serious faces on, shall we?"

The Doctor and Ianto nodded.

"Doctor, with me. Ianto, go talk to some of the kids. Find out if they've noticed anything."

Looking around, the Doctor took in the layout of the little community. It seemed nice. The houses were close together, the park within sight of every front window. Brilliant idea to put it in the center of the turnabout but that raised the question of what could have snatched the kids without being noticed. Despite the gloomy gray of the sky and the chill in the air it seemed like a nice place. However, behind the houses was a patch of dense forest. Anything could be hiding in there. It was best to stick close to Jack as much as he hated to admit it. The captain knocked on the door and they waited. Ianto headed for the playground where some of the kids were playing.

When the door swung open they were greeted by a thin, pale woman. Her dark hair was limp, her clothes disheveled and her eyes were rimmed in red. When she greeted them, her voice was raw. She'd been crying and hard. That was comforting to the Doctor. Anyone who wasn't in a state after their child went missing is someone that would worry him.

"Yes? How can I help you?"

"Hello," the Doctor said, his voice gentle and sympathetic. He flashed his psychic paper. "I'm detective Smith. This is my partner, detective Harkness. May we come in?"

"Oh,"she said, dabbing at her eyes and opening the door further. "Of course. Please, come in."

As soon as you crossed the threshold it was obvious this woman was a devoted mother. Pictures of a little blonde boy with bright, happy blue eyes were hung all over the walls. Upon entering the living room, the refrigerator was visible in the next room, littered with pictures done in crayon. A half built lego creation sat untouched in one corner of the room. She invited them to sit on the chocolate brown couch.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"No, thank you," Jack said. "First let me just say how sorry we are that you have to go through this."

She sat down, in the arm chair across from them. "Thank you. Have you found anything?"

"Nothing yet," the Doctor told her. "But, if you don't mind, can you tell me what happened the day your son disappeared?"

"Do I really have to tell it again," she asked, sniffing and wiping her nose with a tissue.

"I'm afraid so," the Doctor said, reaching out to take her hand in some small measure of comfort. "We're asking everyone. We need to be sure nothing's been missed or overlooked."

She looked at the Doctor, eyes welling up. The sincerity and empathy reflected in his eyes seemed to convince her.

"Are you sure it'll help you find Danny?"

"It can help us narrow it down at the very least."

"And would you mind if I took a look around Danny's room," Jack asked.

"Of course not," she said. "Upstairs, first door on the right."

"Thank you," he said, giving her an apologetic smile.

"Just try not to move anything too much," she called after him. "In case he comes back on his own."

When Jack had left the room the Doctor leaned in to the distraught mother, giving her his full attention.

"Tell me what happened."

xXxXx

Ianto sat in the back seat, holding an ice pack to his head and pouting.

"Talk to the kids he says. They notice more than the adults. See what they know."

"How was I supposed to know the moms would come chasing after you," Jack said, looking in the rear view mirror at the Welshman.

"Someone's been snatching up their children and you send a man they don't know to go speak to their children at the playground?"

"Alright. That's enough you two," the Doctor interjected. "We pretty much found nothing. Did you learn anything Ianto?"

"Mums have bats."

"Anything else," he huffed.

"Well, from the sounds of it, the kids are taking the kids."

The Doctor turned to face him. His brow furrowed in concentration.

"What do you mean? They're running away?"

"No," Ianto said, wincing as he lowered the ice pack to reveal the large, swollen bump. He would have that goose egg for a good few days. "According to the children, it started when the first girl, Carys, became ill. Her dad was coming to pick her up for the weekend and she didn't want to go. Something about a missed birthday party. So she went to hide in the woods until he'd left. She came back looking very pale and with a fever but the next day she was at the park. She led the next little girl into the forest. She came back looking ill and Carys had disappeared."

The Doctor chewed his lip in concentration. Almost every parent they'd talked to had mentioned their child coming home pale, feverish and not quite themselves. He could see Jack wracking his brain as well.

"So they get sick, infect the next child and then disappear," the captain said more to himself. "It could be a virus that came through. It hasn't happened before but it's not impossible."

"Then wouldn't the whole town be infected instead of just the children," Ianto asked.

"And it wouldn't be picking them off one by one like this if it was a virus," the Doctor said. "Possibly nanogenes. If they're set to another species they may be reconfiguring the children."

"But nanogenes pass by touch," Jack said, blowing a hole in that theory. "The adults would be affected too."

They were getting nowhere fast as far as answers. There was nothing left for them to find at the little town right now and once Ianto had been clubbed by a hulking, football mum they decided to call it a day for the field aspect of the case. They were on their way back to the hub now to go over and log what they did know.

Jack's driving was less manic this time as they made their way back. He'd scared the Doctor enough for today. He had to keep reminding himself to be more careful with the Time Lord. It only occurred to him later that swerving through traffic and scaring the bejeezus out of him was probably a bad idea if the man was indeed in that delicate first trimester. It took them the full hour to get back to the hub instead of the twenty minutes it had taken Jack the first trip.

The three of them made their way down from the car park and into the main room where Gwen was typing away. She glanced up to greet them and did a double take when her eyes landed on Ianto.

"Bloody hell," she said, rising from her chair as quickly as her belly would allow. "What happened to you?"

"Mums don't care for unfamiliar men in suits hanging about the playground," he said, making his way over to the couch.

"You went to talk to the children alone when kids have been gettin' knicked? Do you want to die Ianto Jones?"

"No," he told her as she pulled out the first aid kit. "But Jack wants me to."

Jack rolled his eyes as the two of them went back and forth. Yes. It had not been one of his better ideas. He got that. But it was just a bat to the head. He should try a bullet or a stray javelin. Then he could be a baby.

Looking around the room, he noticed someone was missing. Where had the Doctor gone? Leaving the other two to their project, he went off in search of his lover. He found the Time Lord in the kitchen putting the kettle on. Jack thought tea may be the one thing the Doctor loved more than him. He smiled and crept up behind the other man, curling his arms around him and pressing a kiss to the side of his neck.

"I was wondering where you got off to."

"I needed something to settle my stomach," the Doctor said. "It's been churning since the first car trip."

With the kettle on and heating, the Doctor took a seat with a thick file. He was curious to see just how well Torchwood one had kept tabs on him. Flipping the folder open he saw they had done a fairly decent job. There was a tab for each of his incarnations, each with a photo and summaries of most of the visits to earth. Not bad at all for humans. Then he noticed, with some degree of horror, that they'd kept tabs on his companions as well. Sarah Jane, Rose, Martha, Donna and a particularly large section for Jack.

"They knew," he asked Jack. "They knew you were one of my companions and they still hired you?"

"They hoped I would lead them right to you. I guess they assumed you'd come back for me or I'd go running for you as soon as you landed. It took a lot of distraction to keep them off your tail."

"But you were so far back when you arrived. You..." Then it hit him. Jack had been protecting him for centuries. He'd been there even before he'd met him in the blitz, before he new Torchwood existed, to watch over him. Jack had to possibly watch his younger self enter the TARDIS on that last trip to Cardiff, knowing he was headed for the game station, for abandonment, and do nothing about it. He'd probably watched him with Rose on countless occasions, wanting to say something, to join them but holding himself back. He already knew Jack had visited Rose a few times in her youth unbeknownst to her.

It must have been excruciating for the captain, just as watching Donna from arms length hurt him. He reached for his lover's hand, twining their fingers together and tried to show as much love as he possibly could in his expression. He'd hurt enough and he didn't want him to hurt any more. Not over him.

Jack was caught by surprise when the Doctor leaned over and kissed him. It was full of a gentle sincerity, like an apology. When they parted he looked at the Time Lord with questioning eyes.

"What was that for?"

"Just because," he said with a small smile.

He turned back to the file, reading interestedly. Jack got up when the kettle started to whistle and poured the hot water into a mug with a bag of ginger tea. The captain already knew him so well, he thought as Jack mixed it just the way he liked. Reaching blindly into the bowl in the center of the table, he grabbed a fruit and took a bite out of it while he read Torchwood's account of the living plastic.

"Um, Doc?" Jack set the mug down by him.

"Hmm," the Doctor asked distractedly, taking another bite.

"Is...is that a pear?"

The Time Lord looked at his hand and saw the oddly shaped green fruit there. For some reason, he wasn't gagging. Jack sat down beside him.

"Are you sure it was the car ride that made you queasy, sweethearts?"

"Well now I don't know," the Time Lord said, staring at the pear.

"Maybe we should try the scan a little early," Jack suggested.

"Yes. I think that might be a good idea."

"Do you want to do it now or would you rather wait until the others have gone home first?"

The Doctor seemed to take a moment, weighing his options.

"Well," he said. "We can't exactly keep it from them if I am now can we? Might as well get it done with."

Jack smiled at him and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. Whatever the result, they were in this together. Hell, you couldn't have paid Jack to walk away from the Doctor now. He just hoped the other man felt the same way.

"You relax and finish your tea while I go set everything up," the captain told him, kissing the back of his hand. "Come up whenever you're ready."

Jack exited the kitchen to get to the med bay. The Doctor sat there, staring into his mug. Was he ready? Would he ever be? He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders, chin up. Ready or not, he would have to deal with it at some point. No running from this one. Things would be different this time. He was a big boy now and it was time to move forward. No matter what news he got, Jack would be beside him, ready to support him. It would be different because he was different and so was his partner. Drinking down the mug he stood and marched off to the med bay before this burst of courage left him.

xXxXx

"Lie down there," Jack told him, helping him to lay back on the metal table. "Now hold very still. This equipment can be a bit touchy. Too much squirming and the readings will be off."

The Doctor took a deep breath to calm himself as he lay there, resisting he urge to fidget from the nerves. He focused on lying as still as possible as Jack turned on the machine. A red beam of light shone down from the ceiling, casting a vertical line over him at the crown of his head. The ray skimmed over him from head to toe and back again before the light was gone. Jack helped him to sit up as the results loaded on the video screen. The two of them went still, waiting with bated breath for what would come up. Jack was the first to react when the scan came up showing a three-dimensional internal scan of the Doctor.

It was tiny, so very tiny, but there was a blip in the Doctor's abdomen. It flashed with each little heart beat and Jack reached for the Doctor, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. The Doctor stared at the screen. He looked conflicted, happy and terrified at the same time.

"Are you okay?"

The Doctor didn't respond other than clasping Jack's hand tighter.

"What do you want to do," Jack asked him. "It's your decision."

That caught the Doctor's attention. He looked to Jack. "Do I want to get rid of it you mean?"

"I wouldn't stop you if you did," Jack told him. "I would support you." But the look in those blue eyes betrayed the truth. Yes, the Doctor would have his full support, but Jack wanted this baby. He had already fallen in love with their child. And, the Doctor thought, who was he to take that from him, from the man who had devoted himself so fully to his happiness? And, if he was honest with himself, as frightening a prospect as it was, he didn't want to lose this. It was a little piece of both of them, bonded together to form a whole new life. A whole new being, a whole new race even, and they had made it together.

"I suppose we'll be looking at houses then," he said with a smile and Jack's eyes lit up. He took the Time Lord into his arms and pulled him tight against his front, their bodies meeting in and embrace and a kiss that stole the Doctor's breath away.


	10. Chapter 9 II

Accountability

Chapter Summary: The Doctor and Jack are trying to figure out how to tell the others their good news and begin house hunting. Meanwhile, another child has disappeared. Just what is this thing taking them and why?

Warnings (For all parts of CH 9): Deaths, possession, smexiness, violent mothers.

Chapter 9: Play With Me (Part II)

Jack couldn't keep his hands off the Time Lord. He had been so extra cuddly since they found out that it was starting to get on the Doctor's nerves. The attention was nice and all but one could only take so much until it went from cute to clingy. Even now Jack was standing behind him, leaned on the back of his computer chair and nearly breathing down his neck while he typed a new set of code into a program he was working on. The Doctor pulled off his glasses with a sigh.

"Did you need something, Jack," he asked a little irritably.

"Not really."

"Then why don't you go look at some houses on the market so we can go and see some?" He really wanted Jack to go do anything besides hover over him.

"That's not a bad idea," Jack said, standing up and stretching. "But when you're finished up here I want you in the TARDIS. Get any medical information you have on Time Lord pregnancies and compile it for Martha."

"Martha? Why would she need it?"

Jack massaged the Time Lord's shoulders comfortingly. "Because we'll need an obstetrician, sweethearts. Someone has to do your check ups and deliver the baby and I figured you'd be more comfortable with Martha than anyone."

"Oh." the Doctor rubbed at his eyes. "Right." He didn't want Martha to know though. He didn't want anyone to know. How would they see him once the secret was out? Gwen had been desked once she got pregnant and Jack would only be worse with him. The Captain would never let him go anywhere now. He didn't want to be treated differently. Jack was already acting like he was some fragile thing that needed protection. It was times like this he wished Donna had just left his hand be. She wouldn't coddle him or try to put him in a bubble. He could just imagine her reaction to this.

"Oi! Your pregnant, not crippled, space man! Make your own tea!"

The thought made him smile. She was his best mate and he really missed that. However, he didn't miss it enough to fry her brain. Jack kissed his cheek.

"Don't worry. We'll get everything figured out."

"I'm not staying here, Jack."

The captain's heart froze. He wasn't staying? After everything, the Doctor still wouldn't stay? Not even long enough for him to see his baby?

"Don't look at me like that," the Doctor said. "Did you really expect differently of me?"

"I thought maybe you'd stick around long enough to at least let me see my own kid," Jack growled. The Doctor's face scrunched in confusion.

"What? No! _Here,_ Jack" he said, gesturing at the desk. "As in here behind a screen all day!"

"Oh," Jack said, relief washing through him. "Well there's more than computer work to do here."

"You're not understanding me. I'm not going to be kept like some sort of collectable on a shelf. I'll go insane."

"Well you can't be in the field," he shook his head. "Absolutely not. We can't risk it."

"Sir."

The couple looked up to see Ianto standing beside the tower, a gauze bandage on his forehead from yesterday's row. He had a print out in his hand and waved it at them.

"We have another disappearance. Name, Eurwyn. Five years old, came home ill then vanished. Older brother went out to look for him and now he's returned poorly as well."

Jack went over to Ianto and plucked the paper from his hands, reading over it for himself. He swore under his breath and told Ianto to get their coats.

"We have to go before big brother goes MIA." He turned to the Doctor. "You have your assignment, we'll take care of this."

There was no mistaking the command in the captain's voice. It didn't mean the Doctor had to be happy about it. With a huff, the Time Lord stood, slamming in the keyboard tray and stalking off to his TARDIS. Jack sighed. They could fight about it later, but for now the Doctor and his precious cargo would be safe and sound in the hub. That's what mattered.

"You know he's probably done things more dangerous than this," Ianto told him, handing him his jacket.

"Yes, but the circumstances are very different."

Jack walked away without a word of explanation, letting the cryptic statement hang in the air.

XxxXx

With a swipe of his arm, papers flew off the library desk and scattered to the floor. He kicked the wall in frustration and let out an angry grunt before dropping unceremoniously into an arm chair. Who did Jack think he was, keeping him cooped up like this? He'd been saving the universe from far bigger threats than magical sniffles since Jack was in diapers. Before then even. He'd been to war, fought Daleks and Cybermen, even faced the devil himself and now he felt like a piece of china in a cabinet. He was perfectly capable of looking after himself. The TARDIS hummed gently in the back of his mind, reminding him of Jack's motivations.

The tension in his body melted away then. "I know he means well," he said to his ship. "But you understand better than anyone how easily I go stir crazy. I need to feel useful. I have to keep moving, doing something with myself or I'll go completely mental."

She hummed to him again and the sound of a familiar rapid tapping echoed through the room. She was picking up the baby's heartbeat and playing it for him. He laid a hand across his belly and tried to picture the tiny life inside.

"Alright, alright. I know. Priorities," he smiled. Time to get that information together. "Still. I can do more than paperwork," he huffed as he scanned the shelves for the books he needed.

He pulled the first one down and started skimming through the section that dealt with the first trimester. One particular line brought a frown to his face.

"Oh, I really hope I don't get as sick as the last time."

XxxXx

Jack pulled up to the curb and parked outside the correct house. Hopefully they would be able to figure things out this time. He knocked on the door and waited for an answer. A tall, burly man came to answer it, asking them irritably what they wanted. They gave the same spiel about being detectives with the local force following up on reports.

"So you found my boy," the man asked, suddenly hopeful.

"I'm afraid not," Jack said. "But we need to talk to your older son."

The man became defensive again, looking Jack up and down. "You think Thomas has something to do with this?"

"Not quite. But he went into the woods and came back sick, just like all the others before they went missing. We need to find out what happened out there."

The man looked horrified at the prospect of losing his other son as well. He moved hurriedly aside to let them in, escorting them up the stairs to his son's room. The sounds of a grieving mother could be heard filling the second floor hallway. Once they entered the boy's room the father excused himself to go tend to his wife.

It seemed like a typical teenage boy's room. Posters of bands and women in bikinis were plastered to the wall. Clothes were scattered over the floor and the dresser drawers were unkempt and messy with pant legs and shirt sleeves sticking out of it. The boy in the bed, however, didn't seem like a typical teenager. He looked at Jack through big, innocent eyes.

"You're different," he said. "Not like the others."

"Yes, I know. I'm American."

"No," Thomas said, his voice light and distant. "The energy. So much energy. It doesn't end."

Jack moved closer to the bed, looking into those unfocused eyes. Thomas stared blankly back. His head tilted to the side.

"Will you play with me?"

"What are you," Jack said, peering even closer into those eyes. Something metallic glittered behind them. It was now clear. Something was using his body.

"Get out of there," Jack commanded. "This body isn't yours."

"But I must stay inside," the creature pleaded with Thomas' voice. "If I don't I'll die. It hurts outside."

"So you need a host. Have you been taking the children then? You've been living inside them?"

"Yes," the creature said. "I needed them to find help but they didn't last long enough."

"You mean," Ianto interrupted. "They're...dead? All of them?"

Thomas nodded. "And every time I have to start over," he said, his voice frustrated and whiny.

"Wait," Jack said. "Is Thomas dying? Right now?"

He shook his head. "Not yet. He's stronger than the smaller ones. He's lasting longer."

"But he is deteriorating?"

Thomas nodded. Jack swore through clenched teeth. No. They weren't losing another one. Not on his watch. He whirled to face Ianto, his expression fierce.

"When we get back to the hub, lock me up. Tell the Doctor what happened. I can handle it, but this kid can't," he turned back to Thomas. "You need help?"

Thomas nodded.

"Then you can use me. Take my body for now and let Tommy boy go. Ianto here will take you to Torchwood. We specialize in helping aliens that need it. You'll be safe as long you stay with me and behave yourself."

Thomas searched Jack's face, looking for any sign he was being less then truthful. He nodded then and a purple mist poured from him, filtering into Jack instead. The captain's head fell back and he gasped at the intrusion. When the last tendrils escaped Thomas he fell back on the bed, unconscious but alive. Jack gasped for breath, his eyes going wide and glassy. He turned his head slowly to look up at Ianto.

"Are we leaving now," he asked, his voice small and childlike. Ianto nodded, not quite sure how to react.

"We'll go to Torchwood. The Doctor can help."

"Can he fix it?"

"Fix what?"

Jack, or rather, whatever was using Jack reached for him, taking his hand. He led the Welshman out of the room and down the stairs. Ianto followed warily as he was led out of the house and into the forest. This was usually the part where someone went missing so he kept his eyes peeled and his ears open. He was led by the hand until they reached a large old pine tree. The alien let go of Ianto and knelt at the base, brushing aside a pile of old brown leaves. Under them was what looked like a metal football. The creature picked it up, cradling it in the borrowed arms and looked up at Ianto with hopeful eyes.

"Can the Doctor fix it?"

"I'm not sure," Ianto told him, laying a hand on his shoulder. "But it won't hurt to ask him."

xXxXx

The Doctor was busily putting together all the information he had on Time Lord pregnancy. He was currently on the second trimester week by week. There were three different books open in front of him, two on the coffee table and another three laid across the sofa. He wheeled about between them, cross referencing and turning pages before returning to the desk to scrawl down another paragraph. His ears pricked up as he heard a whining and scratching at the TARDIS door. Rolling his eyes, he stood and went to the control room to open it. There was Lacy, whining up at him.

"What. Do you wanna come in with me?"

She whined and tugged on his pant leg with her teeth. "What do you want? I haven't got time for this." She only tugged harder, trying to drag him from the ship. "I'll play later, go find Rhys or Gwen for now."

"Doctor," Ianto said from the doorway of Jack's office. "We have a bit of a situation. Jack needs us down in the cells."

"Oh. Now he wants my help, does he," he asked cheekily, stepping out of the TARDIS. "What's the problem?"

Ianto told the Doctor about the conversation with Thomas and about the purple mist. He explained how Jack had offered himself as a vessel and that he was now not quite himself. Lacy had followed after them, dashing between the Doctor's legs when they entered the cell block and sitting in front of one of the plexiglass doors. She looked inside and then to the Doctor, whining and whimpering. Coming to the door, the Doctor saw Jack sitting on the floor in the back corner of the cell. The captain was curled around something, rocking it and cradling it like it was the most precious thing he owned. No wonder Lacy was in a state. It as no secret that Jack was her favorite and he was definitely not true to form right now. He shooed her away back up the stairs and turned his attention back to the man in the cell.

"Hello," the Doctor said and Jack looked up at him, his eyes unfocused and his face pale.

"Are you the Doctor?"

"Yes," the Time Lord said. "And who are you?"

Jack looked up at him, his eyes wide and fearful. "You're different too," he said. "You have two energies."

"Two energies," the Doctor asked.

Jack nodded. "There's the big one," he said, pointing at the Time Lord's face. "And there's a little one there." He pointed to the Doctor's belly now. "Are you a Maflar?"

The Doctor's eyes went wide and he got an excited gleam in his eye. "Oooooh. You're an Atmostine, aren't you?"

"Maflar," Ianto asked from behind the Time Lord.

"It's their word for mummy. Not mother, mummy. Which would mean," he turned his attention back to Jack. "You're a child, aren't you." The captain nodded. "So where is your Maflar? Is she here too?"

"No." Jack's voice was quiet and afraid. "We were going to the embassy. It was supposed to be my special hatch day trip. Then my ship was on fire and I hit one of those tree things. There was a girl poking at my ship with a stick and she opened it. It hurt so bad. I had to hide somewhere. It doesn't hurt in here," he said, placing a hand over his chest. Blue eyes turned misty and the captain started to cry. "I didn't mean to hurt them. I was just trying to find help. I just want to go home."

He stood, walking over to the door. The Captain looked down at the item tucked under the coat and back at the Doctor. It looked like the creature was reluctant to show anyone else. The Doctor put a hand up to the glass.

"What have you got there," he said gently. "Let me see."

He looked at the Time Lord, tears falling from his eyes. It broke the Doctor's heart and he had to remind himself it wasn't really Jack crying in the cell.

"Show me. Come on," he prompted again gently.

Jack sniffed and wiped his eyes before opening his coat. He held up the metallic football shaped thing. It was charred in places and some panels were missing. His voice shook as he looked up to the Doctor again.

"Can you fix it?"

The Doctor pulled his glasses from his pocket, putting them on and taking a closer look. "That's your ship, is it?"

Jack nodded.

"I'll have to take a closer look at it. If I come in there, do you promise to behave?"

He nodded again, sniffing and wiping at his eyes with his sleeve. The Doctor's heart ached. Not only was he watching his lover break down, he knew it was not really his Jack but a frightened child, lost and alone and possibly light years from home. How many others had suffered simply because the poor thing was searching for someone, anyone to make it all better?

"Ianto," he said, still looking in the cell. "What's the code for this door."

"I'm not to open it. Regulations state any personnel under the influence of a foreign presence are to be quarantined until the entity can be safely extracted from,"

A whirring noise cut into Ianto's explanation and the door swung open.

"Or you can just do that," he mumbled. "Brilliant. The rules don't matter, do they. Why be safe when you can die?"

"Ah, but there's a third route," the Doctor said, tossing the Welshman a cheeky grin. "It's the _near_ death route. Not quite as predictable as the other two, but much more fun." He gave the Welshman a wink and turned to enter the cell.

The cold, damp, depressing atmosphere had the Doctor cringing. This was a horrible place to keep the poor thing. It must be more scared than ever. It showed as the Captain's body was curled up on the ledge meant to be a bed, shaking. The Doctor stepped toward him and knelt down. He took one of the other man's hands in his own, looking into the fearful eyes. The pupils were blown to the point that only a sliver of blue was visible. He could see flecks of metallic purple flashing in them now and then. It was unnerving, seeing the normally cool and collected Jack reduced to quivering in a corner and the Doctor had to keep reminding himself that this was not Jack behaving this way, that his captain was only a vessel. Still, it just felt wrong. He needed his Jack back. The sooner the better.

"Let me see," he said gently. Jack opened his arms, showing the tiny ship to the Time Lord.

"Can you fix it" he asked again hopefully.

The Doctor snapped his glasses on and reached for the broken thing. He turned it over in his hands, assessing the damage and if the piece of technology was salvageable. It needed new hull panels. Simple enough to replace with all the bits and pieces they had stashed in this place. The problem was the control panel. It was so tiny, he wasn't quite sure how he could repair it. It would take a lot of patience and magnification as well as some very small tools. It would have been helpful to have the schematics but he was sure he could rig something up that would work well enough to get the creature home.

"Well, I don't know if it'll be exactly the same but I can get it working. How far will you have to go?"

"I don't know," the Atmostine said through Jack, voice small and unsure. "I don't know where home is from here."

The Doctor clicked his tongue. Not good. Not good at all. He knew how to get to the creature's home planet, but he didn't know when he had disappeared. Hopefully he could figure out the model year on the ship to help narrow it down. But there were other things to worry about first.

"Alright. What's your name?"

"M-Mongan."

"Well then, Mongan, how is Jack's body holding up in there?"

He seemed to take a minute to contemplate this, taking a mental checklist.

"The air sacks aren't working right," he reported. "And the drum is getting faster."

Air sacks and drum? Heart and lungs. That wasn't good. If he didn't find another place for Mongan to stay, Jack would die within the hour. He needed to get to the TARDIS med bay. Then he could set up a containment unit that would be safe for the little one.

"Come on," the Doctor told him, holding out a hand. "Let's get you upstairs."

"No."

The Doctor turned to Ianto who stood against the wall, arms crossed defiantly. "That thing is not leaving this cell. We don't know what it's capable of."

The Welshman wasn't backing down, but this Time Lord wasn't known for obedience either. Except where Jack was concerned but that was irrelevant to the situation. He turned to face him, hands in his pockets, face hard and cold.

"Oh, so you're in charge now, is it?"

"As a matter of fact," Ianto said. "With Jack incapacitated, my seniority with Torchwood dictates me as leader until he's well again."

"Seniority," the Doctor scoffed. "If this was about seniority I'd be in charge period."

"Not age. It's based on your number of years in the company," he told the Time Lord.

"Well, I've never been one for protocol and in case you haven't noticed, I've got more experience in a single hair than you've got in your entire body. I don't give a damn about your bloody rules, I care about getting this child home and keeping Jack from another death. I'm going to do as I please Mr. Jones so you can either fall in line or go home."

xXxXx

Mongan had seemed much more relaxed once they were inside the TARDIS. He sat on the cot, swinging his legs back and forth as he watched the Doctor. Said Time Lord was tinkering with the controls on a clear tube of plexiglass, a containment chamber. He had to get the atmospheric components just right or Mongan could be in excruciating pain.

"Is this your home," he asked the Doctor. He looked up briefly from his work to show he'd heard.

"Sort of. She's all I have of my original home. Jack and I are looking for a new home right now though."

"For the baby?"

"Yes," the Doctor said. "For the baby."

"Is something wrong with it," he asked.

"What?"

"Is it sick or something?"

The Doctor paused in his work, taking his glasses off and looking up."Why would you ask that?"

Mongan shrugged. "You don't seem very happy about it. Babies are supposed to make people happy. Especially their Maflars."

Was that true? Did he really sound unhappy about being pregnant? _Was_ he unhappy about it? No, he thought. Not unhappy, just unsure. He was worried. He didn't want things to go wrong. At the same time, he was afraid of how things would change. The Doctor jumped when he felt a warm hand on his belly. Mongan looked in wonder as he touched, feeling the swirling energy inside.

"It seems happy," he said. "It has two drums like you." He put a hand to Jack's chest. "But this one only has one drum."

The Doctor smiled at his confused expression. He covered the larger hand with his own. "Yes, but his is much bigger," he explained. "He can fit so many people in there."

"You put people in the drum," Mongan asked, astonished. The Doctor smiled and turned back to his project.

"Not really. It's a way of saying he cares about a lot of people. He carries so much love in there."

"Oh. So is he the baby's Patryl," the Atmostonian equivalent of "daddy" or "papa".

"Yes he is."

Mongan looked thoughtful, staring down at Jack's chest where his heart was. He put a hand over it again.

"Then big is good," he decided. "Babies need lots of love."

"Absolutely," the Doctor agreed. He typed in one last bit of information and they heard a beep. "There we are. That should do it."

"And it won't hurt in there?"

"Not at all. Now, just lie down here for me."

Mongan laid back on the cot, fidgeting nervously. He really hoped it didn't hurt. He didn't like it when it hurt. The Doctor had been very kind though. He'd been able to trust him this far. The Doctor picked up a mask with a long tube attached.

"When I put this on, you come out. Go down this bit of hose here and you'll come out in the tank. That should keep you safe until we can get you home. Do you understand?"

Mongan nodded. Satisfied, the Doctor brought the mask up to Jack's face, holding it over his mouth and nose. After a second or two, a purple mist flowed into it, traveling up the length of hose and in through the top of the glass tank. When the flow finally stopped, Jack's eyes closed and he lay on the cot, unmoving.

The Doctor checked for a pulse, hoping he hadn't taken too long. It was there but it was weak. The Time Lord thought it best to let his lover sleep. Let him heal for now. It shouldn't take more than an hour for him to be up and around again. In the mean time, he would start repairs on the little ship. He looked at the tank where Mongan was now zooming around, probably enjoying the extra space and freedom of movement, and smiled. Intuitive little thing he was. The Doctor had actually enjoyed talking to him. Laying a hand over his still flat tummy, the Time Lord found himself hoping that their child would be just as inquisitive. There was nothing more endearing than a child's curiosity and he had so much he could teach them.

Looking over at Jack, he decided that it would be okay to take a small break before he got to work on repairs. He crawled up beside Jack on the cot and found a comfortable position pressed against him, his head nestled on his chest and listening to the comforting, singular beat of the captain's heart. Perhaps he was being a bit too harsh with Jack. He knew he would have to stay out of the field but perhaps they could find something safe to keep him occupied. He could always get a job. Now there was a terrifyingly domestic idea. Still, it could be fun. He'd never had a proper job before. Not unless you counted the time he spent as John Smith. He didn't usually like to.

The Doctor felt a warm arm curl around his shoulders and looked up. Jack was still sleeping despite the movement. His color was starting to come back though and his heart was slowing to a more normal rate. He'd gone from repairing to resting. Curling his arm around the captain's waist, the Doctor allowed himself to relax. He would enjoy cuddling with his human, just for a bit, and then he'd get back to his other tasks.

xXxXx

Jack stirred a few hours later. His whole body felt heavy. His eyelids were like lead, refusing to open. That was okay for now. He couldn't quite remember how he'd gotten here but he was to tired to get up and find out. There was a gentle nudge at his mind, coaxing him to full wakefulness.

The captain groaned, reaching an arm up to rub at his eyes. This seemed to wake him enough to open them. He was in the TARDIS, but how? He sat up on the cot and looked around the med bay. When he caught sight of the cloud in the tube it all came back to him.

"Wow," he said to himself. "Possession really packs a wallop."

Since he was himself again and the alien was contained, he could only assume the Doctor had puzzled it all out. Where was the Time Lord?

Jack swung his legs off the side of he cot, standing slowly to make sure they didn't buckle on him. Though they protested slightly, the muscles dutifully held his weight and he was able to move around. The immortal placed a hand on the wall and silently asked the ship to lead him to where her captain was hiding. She gave a gentle hum of confirmation, nudging him down the hall. After passing a few rooms he came to a large set of double doors, intricately carved with decorative leaves and grape bunches and stained a dark cherry color. The library. He should have known.

As the door opened, he caught sight of the Doctor wheeling about between a whole mess of open books and then scrawling things down in between on two separate sheets of paper. His hair was stuck up more than usual. He'd been running his hands through it again. The Time Lord was wearing his special glasses with the magnification attachments. He didn't seem to notice Jack's entrance, still zipping back and forth. Jack couldn't help but smile as he watched. There was no doubt that his lover was in his element.

"Hey," he called.

The Doctor stopped mid way to a book and looked up. He offered Jack a quick smile before looking through the book and rolling back to his desk to write something down. The captain walked up to the desk, curious. One page was filled with writing, words like trimester, birth weight and kick counts appearing. The information for Martha. The other paper had a half completed blue print on it.

"What's this for?"

"Mongan's ship. I have to completely rebuild the control panel from scratch. Totally useless," the Doctor explained.

"So are you done being pissy with me now," Jack asked him.

The Doctor sighed, pulling his glasses off and rubbing at his eyes. He looked up at Jack now, givinghim his full attention.

"Look, I understand your reasons. I really do. But the point remains, I can't stay here doing the same thing day in, day out." He moved over to stand in front of Jack, hands in his pockets. "I need something more fulfilling than watching a screen for blips and making up a program. I love you, and I'm glad you have this for yourself, but Torchwood is just that. Your project. I would've been fine with it when I could do field work but now I can't. I need something that's mine, Jack. Can you understand that?"

The Doctor watched Jack's face and waited for his reaction. Would he be hurt that his lover didn't want to work with him? Would he be angry? To his surprise, Jack curled his arms around his waist and pulled him close.

"That's absolutely fine sweethearts," Jack told him. "Whatever makes you happy as long your safe. But what do you want to do?"

"Ah," the Doctor said. "That's the problem. I've got no clue."

"Well," Jack kissed him gently. "You love your history. I have a few friends at the local university. If you wanted, I could probably get you in as a history professor. What do you say, Dr. Smith?"

The Doctor's face lit up. Teaching. He had only ever used it as a cover before. This time he could be a legitimate educator. Enlightening young minds, grading papers, coffee in the lounge. It sounded enormously fun.

"I say, brilliant."

AN: I am SO sorry this took so long. My internet has been down for over a week. Now that the problem is fixed I hope you'll all enjoy and forgive the ridiculous amount of delay.


	11. Chapter 9 III

Accountability

Chapter Summary: Final part of chapter 9. Repairs are being made to send Mongan home. The team gets the good news, Martha makes her first appearance and the Doctor gets a little lesson in boundaries.

Warnings (For all parts of CH 9): Deaths, possession, smexiness, violent mothers.

Chapter 9: Play With Me (Part III)

"Hello?"

"Martha Jones" Jack said, cradling the phone between his ear and shoulder as he organized the stacks of handwritten information. "Just the pretty voice I wanted to hear."

"Jack! How are you?"

"Tell captain cheesecake to keep his comments to himself," Mickey called from the background. Jack laughed. They knew each other too well.

"Tell him not to worry. His wife is safe. I've got my own pretty little thing to keep me more than occupied."

"Oh really," Martha said. "Does Ianto know you talk about him like that?"

"Not Ianto," Jack corrected.

"Who then?"

"I'll give you a hint. You know him. You both do."

The Doctor rolled his eyes as he placed another scrap piece in his box of supplies. Jack would have her on the phone all day playing guess who if it was up to him.

"For God's sake, give it here," he said, taking the mobile away from the captain. His lover pouted at having his game ruined but let him take over anyway.

"Martha, it's me. We need you to come down to the hub."

Jack sat back in his chair, rifling through the pages and skimming over some of it himself. He'd have to make a copy to look through. Martha wasn't the only one who needed to know what to expect.

"Yes, yes. It's all very exciting but we can discuss that later. We're in need of someone with medical training." A pause. "No, no. For me."

It was quiet as the Doctor listened to Martha's side of the conversation. Jack wished he could hear what was going on. He could probably imagine though. Martha would be panicking but in that doctorly way of calmly but sternly asking a million questions. Why did the Doctor need a doctor? What was wrong? Was he okay?

"Martha, calm yourself. I'm fine, really."

So he'd guessed correctly.

"It's just...kind of a long term thing I'll need help with. Look, I'll explain better when you get here. I promise I'm not dying so you don't have to come this second."

Another pause.

"We were thinking around lunch so we can tell everyone together. Is that all right for you?"

Silence.

"Oh, does he have to come," the Doctor practically whined. "Not that I don't like our Mickey boy, quite the opposite. It's just that this is going to be difficult enough to tell you four."

Now Jack took the phone back, waving the Doctor off to continue his parts search. He assured Martha it was good news, the Doctor was just a bit nervous about sharing it. He told her to go ahead and bring Mickey since he'd end up finding out anyway but made them both swear that not one breath of it would get out at UNIT. Jack could just imagine the field day they'd have with this. Luckily, it was one of the alternate weekends the married couple had off so they wouldn't have to explain why their presence was requested at Torchwood. He ended the call with a quick "c'ya then," and hung up.

The Doctor was upset. It was obvious in the tense set of the Time Lord's shoulders and the tight lipped frown on his face as he sorted through more boxes of broken tech for salvageable parts. The captain grimaced and walked over to his lover.

"What's wrong," he asked, taking one of the Doctor's hands in his own. "Why does this bother you so much?"

The Doctor sighed. He squeezed Jack's hand tighter, the other gripping the edge of the box.

"It's just that...I like fitting in. Being the only one of my kind left, fitting in is not something I get to do very often.

"Yeah, I've got friends, good friends, and I've got you but when it comes down to it I'm still alone, Jack. It was one thing for all of you to know I was alien because you never treated me any different than if I was human. But this isn't something that happens to humans in this century. No one is going to treat me the same. You'll all act different now,"

He looked up at Jack with sad eyes. It broke the captain's heart to see his lover so upset.

"I'm the strange one," he said. "and there's no hiding it anymore, not even from everyday people just strolling through the shops, not once I start to show." Those big, brown eyes started to mist over. "I don't want to be different."

"Hey now. Come on," Jack said gently.

He walked the Doctor over to his desk chair, sitting down and pulling the other man into his lap. He wrapped his arms around the Time Lord and held him close, carding his fingers through the wild mess of hair that refused to be fully tamed.

"Sweethearts, no one's going to think any differently of you."

"Yes they will," he said quietly. "Even you've started to."

"Yes. I'll admit I have been a bit more protective lately but that's because you're pregnant, not because you aren't human," he reassured. "It's not about what you are. It's about what you're carrying.

"When you have another life that's solely dependent on you to survive you have to expect the rules to change a bit. You can regenerate but what would that do to the baby?"

The Doctor cringed at the thought. He knew he couldn't risk that but he wasn't talking about work anymore. He had his new, baby-safe job lined up for him.

"I know that Jack, I've made peace with lying low until the baby's born. I can still do things for myself though. I don't need other people to fetch me things or asking me if I'm tired all day long. I don't want to be coddled and catered to which is what's going to happen. They've never seen a pregnant man before. They'll think I need special treatment."

"I bet they won't if you explain it to them," Jack told him, kissing his forehead. "But you're not getting out of it with me," he teased, placing a hand over the Doctor's still flat tummy. "I'm the father. It's my job to fuss over the two of you."

The Doctor smiled at him. Of course he couldn't deny Jack the right to be a doting father. As long as it was just Jack though, and he didn't go too overboard with it. Jack smiled back at him, happy that his sweethearts was happy. And if he had to run interference with the others to make sure he stayed that way then so be it. He had planned on a little subtle, behind the scenes stress control regardless. The poor man had already lost one child. Jack was determined this pregnancy would go right.

"I know what you need," Jack told him, nuzzling and kissing his jaw and making him giggle.

"Jack, we've got things to do," the Doctor said. He pushed halfheartedly at the broad shoulders.

"They can wait a few minutes. It's been too long since I've had your sweet little ass wrapped around my cock."

The Time Lord shivered. He loved when Jack talked like that. The captain pulled the high neck of his shirt down to show the blue leather collar there. Jack had been a bit more lenient with it having to be visible since Rhys had started working there so the Doctor had taken to turtle necks and scarves. Jack thought he really did look particularly delectable today in his usual pinstripe pants, sans jacket with a black turtleneck that clung to his torso in all the right ways.

"You have no idea how gorgeous you are."

He nipped at the pale throat, nibbled on his earlobe. The Doctor bit his lip, gripping Jack's shoulders as those talented lips worked at him. Jack knew his body a little too well. One big, warm hand slid beneath the black sweater. The rough palm rasped over the smooth skin of his back, the contrast giving him goose bumps.

The Time Lord grew tired of being passive and latched onto Jack's neck, sucking and biting the way he knew Jack liked. He turned to face Jack, straddling his lap. He could feel the other man's hardness poking into his hip. It _had_ been too long. There had just been so much going on that they hadn't had time during the day and by night they were too tired to think of anything but sleep.

"Jack," Gwen's voice came over the comms. "You're seven AM is here."

The captain groaned, laying his forehead on the Doctor's shoulder. He'd forgotten all about it. He really hated meetings.

"Damn it," he tapped the earpiece to answer. "Alright. Send him in."

He switched off the earpiece again and looked at the Doctor apologetically. "Rain check?"

The Time Lord seemed to consider it for a moment. Then a mischievous grin spread across his face. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the man approaching though he couldn't see them. He grinned at Jack, and instead of going off to work on something he disappeared under the desk.

"No," Jack said. "This is important."

The Time Lord just pulled Jack's chair over.

"Doctor, no. I have to look professional here. Come out of there."

The Doctor didn't listen, making himself comfortable and lying in wait. Jack went to reprimand him again but the office door opened then. It wouldn't do for the queen's liaison to witness the Doctor crawling out from under the captain's desk. He was stuck.

"Mr. Harkness," the man said with a nod.

"Charles," he said politely back.

The man took the seat across from Jack's. The current queen had a certain fascination for the extra terrestrial and wanted to be kept informed of Torchwood's activities and findings as a result. Charles came by once every six months to retrieve copies of the recent files and receive an oral report on the events not yet documented to recount for her majesty's entertainment later.

"So, captain. What stories do you have for me this time?"

"Unfortunately, there's only one event not documented as we're still currently working on it. You may have heard the news reports on the children going missing."

He began to explain how they were originally drawn to the case, telling him about their first visit to the town. He had made it as far as the beginning of the interview at the first house. That was when he felt slender fingers at the waist band of his trousers, unfastening the button and guiding down the zipper silently. Jack tried his hardest not to show he was startled. Those fingers reached inside and curled around his member, drawing it out.

Professional, he thought to himself. Just stay professional. Don't let him see you sweat.

"So once I talked with Ianto the connection between the illness and the disappearances became OBVious!" He jumped in surprise when a wet tongue flicked across the tip.

"Sorry," he said to Charles. "Leg spasm. Happens all the time. As I was saying," a broad stroke along the underside. "Even knowing it was connected, we had no way of knowing what this was."

The Doctor couldn't help but smile as Jack tried to keep his voice steady. He licked at the shaft again, getting his own shiver of pleasure from the little hairs brushing over the hot flesh. The captain continued to tell his tale as if nothing was going on. That was no fun though. Taking hold of the base, the Doctor moved lower, his tongue gliding over the dark-skinned sack. Jack's thigh tensed under his free hand. Better, but not quite the caliber of reaction he was looking for. He took one of them into his mouth this time, rolling its weight on his tongue and sucking gently. The Time Lord was rewarded for his efforts when the captain's voice cracked. He would get punished for this later, he knew, but it was worth it. He moved to give the other the same treatment.

This was only getting worse. Jack tried not to moan as the Doctor sucked his balls. He had to focus on the conversation.

The Doctor pulled back, eager to move on. He took the head into his mouth and sucked, licking the slit. He could feel Jack's whole body shudder as he took in more. He moved slowly, inch by inch until his lips met he coarse hairs at the base. This was what he wanted, what he craved. Not only was he pleasuring Jack, he was providing constant stimulation to the delectatio that was nestled in the upward curve of his own palate. One of his favorite things was sucking his lover off. It was an added advantage of being a Time Lord and the extra gland combined with the respiratory bypass made it all to easy.

The thought that he was sucking Jack's cock while spoke to the queen's personal assistant only added to the thrill. Now he was the one trying not to moan while his head bobbed in the captain's lap. He knew he wasn't allowed to touch himself and it was maddening. The Doctor knew Jack was getting close. He was determined to make the other man come before the meeting ended.

Jack had a death grip on the arm of his chair while the Doctor worked him beneath the desk. He was close in more ways then one as he came to the part of his own possession. The mouth on him moved faster and faster as he came closer and closer to the conclusion of his story. As he told Charles about the containment chamber the creature was currently being kept in, the Doctor delivered the final blow. The Doctor buried his nose deep in those dark curls and poked his tongue out, swallowing around the hard shaft and licking at his balls all at once. Jack's knuckles turned white and he ground his teeth as his orgasm tore through him. The Time Lord didn't pull off, as he swallowed every drop of the captain's thick come. The over sensitized nerves screamed as the Doctor released him, licked him clean and tucked him back into his trousers before resting that brown topped head on his thigh.

"So is that all, captain?"

"Yes," Jack told him, realizing he'd spaced out. "That's it for now. We're currently working to repair his ship and send him home."

"Alright then. I'm sure the queen will be enthused to hear about it. Now as for the rest of the files,"

"Ianto has them all ready for you in chronological order. He'll be waiting for you on your way out."

"Very good. I shall see you again in six months."

Charles turned and left, closing the door behind him. Once the man was out of ear shot Jack reached beneath the desk and took hold of the Doctor's hair. He pulled the Time Lord up and brought their faces close together. Their eyes met, Jack's fierce while the Doctor's sparked with excitement.

"You," he growled, "have been a very bad boy."

xXxXx

The TARDIS door closed behind Jack and he went back to his office, looking pleased with himself. Somewhere deep inside the ship, the Doctor was being repaid in kind for his little stunt. The captain was nothing if not imaginative. The pile of folders was lifted into his arms as he made his way to the photocopier. It was quite an impressive stack and the captain decided the Doctor could wait, all trussed up, until he'd made himself a complete copy. He had pulled up a chair beside the machine, making himself comfortable for the long job ahead when Ianto came in.

The Welshman looked slightly awkward, like he wanted to be anywhere else right now.

"What is it Ianto?"

"Well, sir," he started, putting his hands in his pockets and looking at the copier instead of at his boss. "It's just something Mongan said. The Doctor has two energies. And he called him a Maflar."

It was silent for a moment while Ianto awaited Jack's response. When Jack didn't say anything he decided to come right out with his query.

"Is that possible, Jack? Is the Doctor pregnant?"

"Well, we were going to wait for the meeting today, tell everyone together," Jack said with a smile, "but look at you figuring things out."

Ianto's eyes went wide.

"Wait a minute. I'm right?"

Jack nodded. The Welshman was dumbstruck He had been puzzling over it all night and this was the only answer that had come to him. That didn't mean he expected to be right. He had expected to be laughed at for thinking of such a thing which was why he had been reluctant to ask, but he had to be sure. Now that it had been confirmed another thought crossed his mind.

"Is this a him thing or a _you_ thing," he asked, a hand flying to rest on his own stomach.

Now Jack laughed. The terrified look on the other man's face was priceless.

"It's a him thing. Don't worry, you're safe," he assured him. "You lack quite a few pieces of necessary anatomy for that and you will for centuries to come."

Ianto was obviously relieved. His shoulders slumped as he let go of a breath he hadn't noticed he'd been holding. Then another thought occurred to him. He looked at Jack with a raised eyebrow.

"Is that why you could go bareback but I wasn't allowed to?"

"Like I said. Never doing that again. Do you have any idea how long it took to get this delicious body back?"

Ianto shook his head. If anyone else had told him that he would have laughed, said it was impossible. But this was Torchwood and if there was anything this job taught you, it was that anything was possible and you never trust a blow fish. He could accept it even if he couldn't understand it, but that didn't mean he wouldn't have questions. What did this mean for the team? How did they plan to take care of an infant in this mess? Would they be leaving again to raise this child? He didn't ask any of those. Instead he came off with,

"How is it getting out?"

Again, Jack laughed. Not because it was a stupid question but because of the way he had asked it. To be honest, Jack wasn't entirely sure either. He hadn't gotten to that part in his reading yet. He knew men in his time needed a C-section indefinitely but he had clearly seen the Doctor giving birth naturally in the Time Lord's memories. He had to assume that some sort of physical change would take place over he course of the pregnancy. He had become well acquainted with that area of the Time Lord and he knew for a fact he was currently ill-equipped.

"I'll let you know when I find out myself," he told the Welshman.

"Is...is there anything I can do sir?"

Jack looked at the stack next to him.

"Actually,"

"Shall I bring it to your desk when I've finished?"

"You know me too well," Jack said with a smile, patting Ianto on the shoulder as he headed back toward his office. The captain opened his laptop, bringing up the CCTV network. He glanced up at the door to make sure no one was coming. Typing in a code only he knew, he hit enter and a new screen came up. There was the Doctor. The Time Lord was bent over, his hands tied behind his back. The thick, red collar had been clipped to a metal loop embedded in the floor, his cheek laid against it. His ankles were tied to a spreader bar, keeping his legs wide open. Jack bit his lip as he watched the Doctor writhe in pleasure. He could just imagine the muffled cries and whimpers that escaped around the red ball strapped into his mouth. His eyes rolled back in his head, saliva dribbling out of the corner of his mouth as the toy in his ass vibrated and rotated.

Jack sat back in his chair to watch the show, wondering how many times the Time Lord would come before Ianto had finished. The Doctor should have known better than to challenge an ex time agent in terms of torture. And _everyone_ knew better than to challenge Jack when it came to torture through pleasure. He suspected the Doctor was well aware and had tested him on purpose and that suited Jack just fine. Occasional disobedience is what kept these relationships interesting and he was more than willing to dole out a few _fun_ishments from time to time.

The Doctor's body started to shake as his first orgasm took him, covering his stomach and the floor below. Jack watched him quake and his body arch as the stimulation became too much to those oversensitive nerve endings. The toy continued the move inside him, the almost painful vibrations soon becoming pleasurable again, starting his second orgasm building before he had fully recovered from the first. This was a lesson the Time Lord would not soon forget. Jack laced his fingers behind his head and grinned. Damn, he was good.

xXxXx

The Doctor sat at one of the hub's work tables with his box of parts, his screwdriver and Mongan's ship. He was currently working on the circuit board, checking the schematic he'd drawn up every now and then. After quite an interesting morning, he really had to get moving on this if they wanted to get Mongan home. He had gotten quite a bit done already. The burnt hull panels had been replaced and the control panel was assembled. Now he just had to finish the circuit board, install the finished components and give the little one a few flying lessons before they sent him off. The coordinates for his home planet could be locked in but he had to know how to steer in the event of unanticipated obstacles. The little ship wouldn't withstand a collision.

He knew he wouldn't finish before lunch. He only had a few more minutes, then it was off to face the others. The Time Lord was still a bit worried about how they would treat him once the cat was out of the bag but maybe Jack was right. They'd obviously seen plenty of odd things in this line of work. They were bound to take it better than a normal human would.

Still, he wasn't very good at sharing this kind of stuff. He was a man who liked his privacy. Jack, of course, was just itching to tell anyone that would listen that he was going to be a father. The Doctor could tell it was killing him to keep it all bottled up.

"Doctor," a voice called from the room entrance. Speak of the Devil.

"Martha and Mickey are here."

Jack was grinning like a Cheshire cat, practically bouncing with excitement. The Doctor took his glasses off, setting them on the table. Time to face the music then. He stood from the table, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves.

Jack pulled the Time Lord to him, curling his arms around the thin waist. "Ready mama," he asked, kissing him gently.

"Don't call me that. I'm still a man for time's sake."

"Doesn't make you any less the mama. You're the one with the baby in your belly," the captain said with a smile. "Come on. Everyone's waiting."

As Jack had said, everyone was seated around the conference room table when they walked in. Rhys was passing plates of pizza around. Gwen had three different pillows on her chair, trying to get comfortable. She looked ready to burst. Martha and Mickey were seated on the opposite side and Ianto was at the very end.

They all looked up when the couple entered. It was clear they wanted to know why they had been brought here. Jack took his seat at the head of the table, the Doctor taking the seat between him and Martha. When everyone had a slice but the Doctor, who pulled a face at the grease and turned it down, Jack started.

"So, we called you all up here for a reason," he said. "We've got a bit of unexpected news."

"Jack, just tell us," Martha burst out. "You said you needed a doctor."

Gwen spoke up now. "A doctor? Jack, what's goin' on. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," he reassured them. "It's good news. I promise. You all know the Doctor and I have been together for over a month now."

He reached over and took the Time Lord's hand in his. As nervous as the Doctor was, the captain's smile was contagious. The two ended up grinning at each other silently for a moment until the Doctor finally started to giggle.

"Oh, just tell them already, will you?"

"Alright, alright! Well, we're going to be welcoming one more person into this relationship."

"I don't think we're the people for you to be auditioning for this proposition, Jack," Gwen said, looking disapprovingly at him, eyebrow raised.

"What? No!" He shook his head. "Not like that. The only thing we'll be doing in bed with them is reading stories."

"I don't know what you're getting at," Martha started. The group of them were obviously confused.

"Oh, come on. It's not that hard," the Doctor said. "Who do you read bedtime stories to?"

They all just stared.

"Children! We're having a baby! My God you all are difficult," he said, leaning back in his chair.

All but Ianto stared at them in shock. It was then the Time Lord seemed to realize what he'd just announced to them all. His face fell and his cheeks turned red. Gwen recovered first.

"Wait a minute. You're pregnant," she asked. "You?"

"Yes. You've got a problem with that," the Doctor snapped at her.

"You're a man," she said. "And you're pregnant."

"Did you not understand the first time?"

He was getting defensive, Jack noticed, and reached out to him under the table, massaging his thigh to try and calm him. The table had grown quiet again, everyone staring at the couple. It was beginning to get uncomfortable. Finally, the silence was broken when Rhys started to laugh. It was a quiet chuckle that slowly got louder and louder, becoming a deep, full belly laugh. He reached over and clapped Jack on the shoulder.

"Bloody Torchwood, mate."

xXxXx

The Doctor walked into the TARDIS excitedly, hands behind his back. He entered the med bay and approached the tube where Mongan swirled and zipped around. The little cloud paused when the Doctor approached.

"Guess what I've got here," he said, his smile so big it threatened to split his face in two. The Time Lord waited a moment before bringing the item in front of him. It was the ship, newly repaired and ready for flight.

The mist like creature seemed to shake, lights flashing within it. Happiness. The Doctor's smile grew impossibly bigger.

"Ready to try it out?"

The Time Lord opened the hatch to show the new controls. He explained each new button and its function, how to steer the ship and what to do in case of an emergency. The little one was zooming around his tank again, eager to try it out and get home to his parents.

It took a few tries, but eventually, Mongan had the ship zipping around the room like he'd been doing it all his life.

"Just like a little Skywalker, aren't you," the Doctor said, impressed with his progress. He was almost reluctant to send the little one on his way, but he needed to be home with his parents, where he belonged.

The Time Lord took hold of the ship mid flight and tucked it under his arm. It was time for him to go home. He exited the TARDIS with it and made his way into the center of the hub where everyone was gathered, preparing to leave for the day.

"Right. Who wants to say goodbye?"

"You finished it already," Ianto asked.

"Wasn't that hard. It was so tiny it shouldn't have taken longer than tomorrow afternoon at the latest."

One by one, the group came forward to say goodbye to the child that had caused so much trouble. When the other three had left, Jack stood beside his lover, wrapping an arm around his waist and gesturing to the lift.

"Shall we?"

The pair slowly ascended into the cold, Cardiff night air. It was late and the streets were deserted.

"Alright," the Doctor started, bringing the little ship to eye level. "You know how to fly this one. So stay out of trouble and don't hit anymore trees," he told the creature inside. "Take care of yourself."

He lifted his arms skyward, reaching toward the stars. The little ship rose, the metal slipping from the Time Lord's fingers as it turned to face the coordinates. The ship shot off into the night sky, quickly disappearing from sight. Jack and the Doctor waved after it. It was nice to have entertained the little one for awhile but they hoped they wouldn't see him again. A tremor ran through the Time Lord and Jack pulled him closer.

"Cold?"

"A little," the Doctor answered, resting his head against Jack.

"Tired," the captain asked.

"Maybe a bit."

Jack smiled and kissed the brown topped head. "Come on. I think a nice long bath before bed will do you good."

"You just want me wet and naked," the Doctor teased.

Jack leaned in close to his ear. "Can't it be both," he said, his voice low and husky. It was that tone that made the Doctor's decades of abstinence catch up with him. And once Jack touches him, he can't recall why he'd been celibate all that time.

xXxXx

AN: So I would like your opinions on where to go from here. Do you want me to continue the storyline in the same linear way I have been or do you want me to start skipping through to different points (more like chapter 7 only with an entire chapter for each section)? I'm also taking votes on whether they should have a boy or a girl since I'm extremely torn with that particular decision. Let me know what you guys want to see.


	12. Chapter 10

Accountability

Chapter Summary: The Doctor and Jack prepare to part ways for the first time since the Doctor's return. The couple find the perfect home and the Doctor gets a bit of practice when a friend comes to visit him.

Warnings : Fluff,

Chapter 10: You and Me

The alarm clock beside the bed went off promptly at six AM. A weary groan came from the form on the opposite side while the other jumped to shut it off and burst up to his feet. Jack lifted his head drowsily as the Doctor zipped across the room in a flash. The Time Lord flung open the wardrobe and snatched up the suit that hung there.

By the time Jack managed to sit up and stretch, the Doctor had run for the ladder, scrambling up only to recall the hatch wasn't open when his head collided with it.

"Ouch!" He rubbed at the sore spot, glaring at the closed hatch from where he'd landed back on the bed. "Why is it shut anyway! It's stupid to shut it when we're here alone!"

Jack laughed. The captain wrapped his arms around the Time Lord's shoulders, pulling him back against his bare chest. He kissed the point of collision lovingly.

"I know you're excited, sweethearts, but you won't make it in one piece at this rate."

"Not if you keep shutting things," the Doctor pouted at him.

Jack couldn't resist, not when that lower lip was stuck out so invitingly. He leaned in and kissed the other man. He could feel the tension ebb out of the body he held as the Time Lord began to kiss back. When the Doctor had relaxed completely, Jack pulled back.

"Better," he asked.

"Better," the Doctor agreed.

Jack reached out one arm to flip the switch on the wall, illuminating the little crawl space of a room they were currently sharing. It had been plenty for Jack on his own, but now he had a lover and a baby on the way. He was adamant that this place was not good enough for his family. They needed a proper house. Money was no object so they would've had one already if the pair of them weren't so awfully picky. They had seen several perfectly nice houses, even a few palatial ones, but they had found fault with every one of them. This one didn't have the right kitchen. That one was too small. This one was too big and separated. That one doesn't have a nice enough view.

Jack was determined though. They would have the perfect home even if he had to build it himself. But for now, they both had to get ready for the day.

"Come on. We can shower together," he said, nuzzling the flesh just under the leather collar.

"Oh no." The Doctor pushed him away gently. "If I get in with you we'll never get out and then I'll be late."

No arguing with that. Reluctantly, Jack let him go to shower alone while he finished waking up. It was stupid, he knew, but the Time Lord hadn't been out of his sight for longer than an hour or two since he'd shown up at the hub that first night. Now he was starting his new job at the university and it worried Jack. Of course, the Doctor was a grown man, fully capable of looking after himself, but that didn't ease the captain's mind the way it ought to. He had become so used to the other man being within arm's reach at any given time. But it made him happy, and Jack wasn't about to take that from him. Besides, he was working at a college. What's the worst that could happen to him?

Instead of allowing his mind to come up with some horribly terrifying scenario, Jack decided to start breakfast while he waited for his turn to shower. He had to be careful though. While the Doctor hadn't been actually throwing up much at all, at six weeks along just the sight of certain foods could leave his stomach churning all day. He decided to play it safe with banana pancakes. It seemed that no matter how the Doctor felt you couldn't go wrong with a banana. He vaguely remembered the man saying something about it being the equivalent of pomegranate for humans, a super fruit that did a myriad of beneficial things for Time Lord biology.

Gwen was due back today, the love for her baby girl driving her to return to at least half shifts at the hub, ensuring everything was calm and quiet on the alien front. Anwen was a gorgeous baby girl and the Welsh couple could not have been prouder parents. He had even been dubbed Uncle Jack.

"That smells fantastic," the Doctor said, walking into the hub's small kitchen, futzing with his tie. "You didn't put nuts in them, did you," he asked, pulling a face.

"I did half and half so you couldn't complain either way."

The Doctor smiled at him. "You're too good to me," he said as Jack handed him a plate of plain banana.

"Baby, ain't no such thing," Jack told him, giving him a quick kiss. "Nothing's too good for you."

The Doctor rolled his eyes, sitting down with his breakfast. After smothering them in strawberry syrup instead of pancake syrup, he cut into the stack with the side of his fork, careful not to get any on himself. It wouldn't do to show up with syrup stains on his first day. He wasn't exactly nervous so much as excited. He had his own proper job teaching ancient history and mythology. He happened to be the leading expert in the field, what with having lived a decent portion of it. The hard part would be sticking to the text books when they got something wrong, but he couldn't exactly explain how he knew the text was wrong. Today would be more of a get acquainted day, learn the student's names, explain how his class would be conducted and just try to make a good first impression.

He hoped the kids would like him. He hoped he could keep their interest. He knew his subject was not one that appealed to a majority of people but usually those who chose to study it were devoted enthusiasts. All in all, the Doctor couldn't wait to get there.

Once the pancake batter had been finished off, Jack had gone to get his own shower. That was something he would miss during the day, he thought. Jack wouldn't be in the next room anymore. He couldn't just wander into the office when he fancied a bit of a cuddle or just the other man's company. Still, he thought as he finished off his plate and took a swig of juice, a little separation might do them some good. He didn't want them becoming too codependent on each other. It was good to have something that was just yours in a relationship.

He cleared up the dishes while he waited for Jack. Until he'd gotten some driving practice, Jack would be taking him to work and picking him up afterward. Jack's driving had calmed a lot, at least when the Time Lord was in the car with him. It wasn't exactly what one would call relaxing but it wasn't the death defying adrenaline rush it used to be.

"Is someone cooking?"

The Doctor turned to see one Gwen Cooper in the doorway of the kitchen. It was odd to see her without the protruding belly he was used to. He smiled broadly at her.

"Hey, look at you! Back already!" He held out the stack of banana nut pancakes to her. "Jack made breakfast."

"That's right," she said, taking one off the plate. "It's your first day at the school, isn't it."

"Yup," he said, popping the P.

"You'll be great. They're bound to love you."

"You think so?"

"Of course," she told him, pulling off pieces of pancake to nibble on. "Though Ianto'll be missing you. The archives had never been more organized than when you were doing them."

"Oh, I'll still be around," he said. "I'm still happy to help. I just wanted something else. Cataloging and filing isn't exactly the most fulfilling of occupations."

"Tell me about it," she said, rolling her eyes. "So how are things on the baby front? I was sick out of my mind by now."

"Pretty good, actually. Nauseous now and then but not much actual sickness."

The Doctor had been reluctant to discuss anything pregnancy related with anyone but Jack, but then he'd realized her motives. It wasn't about the novelty of a pregnant man or the idea he needed to be looked after. Gwen herself was pregnant and finally had someone else sharing that experience. She was looking for camaraderie.

"I'm seeing Martha tomorrow afternoon. Blood work and all that," he cringed. "I hate needles. So barbaric."

Gwen laughed. "Well get used to it, mate. Lots of blood work and you'll be peeing in a cup so often you'll forget how to use a toilet."

xXxXx

The Doctor followed Jack through the car park. He straightened his tie for the millionth time that day and quadruple checked that he had the mobile Jack had bought him, his sonic – better safe than sorry- and his classroom key. Jack turned to him, taking him by he wrists to stop his fussing.

"Doc, look at me."

The Time Lord obediently met the captain's gaze. The adorably nervous expression was far too tempting and Jack couldn't help himself. He captured those soft lips in a brief but tender kiss.

"You'll be fine," he assured him. "And I've got something for you."

Reaching into his pocket, Jack drew out a thin silver chain. Hanging from the end was a pair of military dog tags.

"I know it's not exactly appropriate for a professor to wear a collar to work. But I want you wearing something to remind you who you're coming home to.

"These are mine from the blitz. The first time we met," he said, placing the chain around the Doctor's neck. "This is going to serve as your collar in public from now on."

The Doctor took the tags in his palm, staring at them. Jack's dog tags. He smiled and looked up at Jack. His eyes sparkled and he wrapped his arms around the captain's neck. He didn't know why this made him so happy but something about the small gesture made his hearts swell. Jack held him for a minute, glad he liked the little token before pulling away gently.

"Come on. You're gonna be late. And I'm taking you somewhere special afterward."

xXxXx

He had been nervous the whole car ride over, but once he entered the classroom, he felt right at home. The Doctor had immediately set down his brief case and went for the blackboards. On the first, he wrote his "name", Doctor Smith, and on the second, he put a question.

"What is Mythology?"

He looked at the clock. Five minutes to eight. Students should be shuffling in any time now. The first to enter was a younger looking boy with glasses and dark hair that hung in his eyes. He kept his head down and only spared a passing glance to see his professor before taking a seat in the back of the room.

_'Not particularly talkative, is he,'_ he thought to himself.

The next to enter were a pair of younger girls who looked his way and giggled before taking their seats. The Doctor realized with some degree of horror that they were part of that group from the bus stop and felt his cheeks grow hotter. Only his first day and two of his students already had photos of him getting snogged.

Next was an older looking man. He looked to be in his early forties, his hair going gray around the ears and he carried a leather shoulder bag instead of a back pack. Then, just as the bell rang, a woman with a clip board and a tape recorder walked in, immediately approaching his desk. She seemed very enthusiastic.

"Excuse me, doctor Smith," she began.

"Yes."

"My name is Madeline Howel. I'm in the midst of writing a novel and I would be so grateful if you would allow me to sit in on your classes for research."

Madeline looked like a creative one. She wore faded denims and a baggy sweatshirt, comfort before fashion. Her curly hair had a wildness about it that was barely contained by the scrunchie and a pencil stuck out of it. Those eyes though. There was a curiosity shining there, boundless and bright, that he found immediately endearing. Were he still traveling, he would have readily asked her to join him. She was exactly what he looked for in a companion. The Doctor smiled.

"Not a problem at all. Take a seat Miss Howell, though I caution you, today is a fairly simple day. When I get into the real stuff though you'll get plenty of material. I assure you."

With a wink, he turned back to face his desk and took up his role sheet. He had expected a small class but not this small. He would have thought a four person class would have been dropped. Probably Jack's doing.

"Alright, class. I am Dr. Smith. Welcome to ancient history and mythology. Now, I have your names here on this sheet but I don't much care for sheets and student numbers. So impersonal. Instead, we're going to go around the room one by one. You'll tell us your name and why you've decided to take this class."

He scanned the faces, settling on the boy in the back.

"You there, you can start."

The young man shifted uncomfortably. It was obvious he wasn't too fond of the personal introduction idea.

"I'm called Noel," he said. "I just like mythology."

"Alright," the Doctor said. "Bit short but it'll do. Welcome, Noel. Next," he called on one of the girls, a ginger. He was instantly jealous.

"Hey," she said, obviously not at all self conscious as she flipped her hair and looked around the room like she owned it. "I'm Chelsea. I took this class 'cause it seemed like it might be fun and Rochelle didn't want to take it by herself."

"So I take it you're Rochelle then," the Doctor said, talking to the brunette seated beside Chelsea.

"Yeah."

"And why are you taking this class?"

"I just like learnin'. It seemed like something interesting and I don't know much about it."

Looks like he was starting from scratch with this lot.

"What about you sir," he asked, addressing the final student.

"My name is Markus. I'm taking this class to get my own doctorate. Not all of us knew we wanted to teach mythology right out of high school Mr. Smith."

Wow. This one had a chip on his shoulder. He obviously wasn't happy to be taught by someone he thought was younger than him.

"Alright then," he mumbled, turning to the board he had written on earlier. "Today I want to have an open discussion. I want you to tell me, what is mythology?"

Markus spoke up first. "It's the study of ancient beliefs or religion and their place of origin."

"Wrong, next. Noel?"

"A body or collection of myths belonging to a people and addressing their origin, history, deities, ancestors, and heroes."

"No! You're spouting things from text books. That's the definition, that's not what mythology is. Come on. Some one give me something real, something from you."

No one answered. They all sat looking at each other as if the answer would pop up on one of their faces. Finally, Madeline raised her hand.

"Miss Howel, what have you got."

"Well," she started nervously, afraid to be wrong as well. "I've always seen mythology as a window."

"A window," Markus scoffed. "Oh please."

"Yes," she continued. "It's like a window into the minds of the people. Through mythology we can see how they thought and rationalized natural phenomenon. It shows the evolution of human thought over time by showing their thought processes."

The Doctor smiled. "That," he said, pointing in her direction as he looked at the rest of them. "That is brilliant. That is the kind of free thought and open minded, enthusiastic approach that is needed to appreciate mythology. Let's get started."

xXxXx

"Really, Jack. You look like a child whose just had their toy stolen," Gwen said as she sat at her desk, catching up with what had gone on while she'd been away.

It was true. The captain had been moping around like a kicked puppy all morning. Even now, he sat in a chair at the other desk, spinning idly and staring at the ceiling. Every now and then he'd let out a sigh of displeasure.

"Well I'm bored," he said. "There's nothing to do and my usual distraction won't be back until three."

"Why don't you go see where Lacy's gotten to? I'm sure she'll play with you."

Jack seemed to consider that for a moment. He hadn't thought about that. They hadn't really gotten to training her except for the basics. Maybe there would be something to do today after all. After ten minutes with her, Jack was convinced that he could and would train her to be a sniffer dog if it was the last thing he did.

"All right girl. Smell it. There you go. Now go find him!"

Lacy took off like a shot after sniffing at the fabric Jack held in his hand. She disappeared for a minute or two before hey heard a crash and a yell.

"Damn it, Jack!"

He winced at the angry Welsh accent that drifted down the hall to them. Gwen leaned over in her chair.

"What did you give her?"

"Ianto's jacket."

"I get the feeling you'll be buying him a new one."

xXxXx

The Doctor sat by himself in the courtyard. He knew he'd forgotten something this morning. The lunch he'd packed for himself was still sitting on the counter in the hub's kitchen. He had his fancy new bank card of course but ever since that school with Rose he didn't trust school cafeteria food and he had no idea where to go or what restaurants were around. Not to mention he would have to remember how to get back. No. He decided he was better off waiting until Jack picked him up to get something. He was hungry though.

"Oi! There he is!"

The Time Lord turned, hearing a familiar voice. Making their way toward him was Rhys and little Anwen in her pram. He smiled and waved them over. It was nice to see a pair of familiar faces.

"Hello! What are you two doing here? Not scouting already, are you," he said, tickling the baby's tiny belly as he made faces at her.

"She was getting' a bit fussy, thought she might like a visit with one of her favorite uncles," Rhys said. "Plus, we got a call from mummy sayin' Jack was in a state when he seen your lunch still on the counter. Thought you might like this."

The man reached into the storage basket beneath the pram and pulled up a take away box. The name of the little cafe Jack had taken him to was printed on the lid. He took it from the other man gratefully, flipping it open to show the panini he'd gotten last time.

"Oh yes," he groaned, taking a bite from it and appeasing his growling stomach before it tried to eat itself.

"So how's the first day goin' mate," Rhys asked, laughing as the Doctor ate the sandwich like it was his last meal.

"I think it's going rather well. I do have one student whose rather apposed to being taught by someone "younger" but the others really seem to be picking up on it."

They made small talk while the Doctor finished eating, discussing the house search, how parenthood was treating the young Welsh couple and what their other halves were probably getting up to at their own jobs. They couldn't help laughing at the infinite possibilities that came with Jack's mind for mischief.

"So are you doing the stay at home dad thing or is this just until she can start daycare?"

"I don't know if I want her in daycare to be honest. I wasn't plannin' on it bein' permanent, me stayin' home, but it don't make sense for Gwen to quit with how much she makes there. And it's actually been quite nice stayin' home with my little girl.

"Actually," he said, turning to look over his shoulder. "Do you mind keepin' an eye on her while I pop to the loo?"

"Oh. N-not at all," the Doctor said, trying not to let his worry show. What could happen in that short amount of time?

Rhys thanked him and went off to find a bathroom, leaving him alone with the baby girl. They sat there silently. The Doctor felt awkward, but what do you say to a baby? How was he meant to entertain her? Anwen wasn't giving anything away, sitting there and staring at him. She made a few garbled noises and waved her tiny arms at him but he didn't know what that meant. The little noises soon turned fussy and she waved her arms at him more.

"I...I don't know what _this_ means," he told her, waving his arms back at her. She started to cry now.

"Oh no. Please, don't do that," he pleaded with her. "I'm sorry, but I don't know what you want."

She continued to cry, getting steadily louder as her mysterious need went unmet. What did babies like? He recalled they rather liked being held. He could try that. Carefully, he slid his arms beneath her, bringing one hand to rest beneath her head and brought her close to his chest, cradling her the way he'd seen others do.

Anwen calmed somewhat as he held her but she still wasn't happy. He could tell her a story. Did babies like stories? He knew older kids loved them but he wasn't sure if a baby would care for one or if she'd even understand. He figured there was no harm in trying and began to tell her about the time he and her uncle Jack had rescued a whole planet from their unjust ruler who was using the cure to a deadly disease as a means of controlling them. It had happened when Rose was taking a holiday with Jackie. The pair had decided to take their own holiday on Corbenaxica five. Of course, the Doctor had landed them in a not so peaceful part of the planet's time line and neither of them had been able to turn away from the promise of an adventure.

"Then your uncle Jack comes running round the corner, yelling at me to start running as well. We used to do a lot of that, running I mean. Sure enough, less than five feet behind him is a mob of royal guards demanding his head. So we ran down the hill and into the TARDIS, safest place in the universe. I thought they were angry at us for overthrowing the king. As it turns out, uncle Jack had made the princess a bit too friendly of a proposition."

Anwen had long since stopped crying and was looking up at him with interest. It was obvious she didn't understand the words but she was glad of the attention. The Doctor smiled down at her. Maybe he'd be good at this baby thing. She seemed to like him at least.

"You're uncle Jack's a good one for being too friendly. Though, I have to admit, it did get me in the end," he said with a smile. "Now we're having a baby too. I hope you two can be friends."

Little Anwen reached out and took hold of his finger in her tiny palm and he couldn't stop the smile that nearly split his face. She pulled his finger into her mouth and started to suck on it, looking up at him with bright blue eyes.

"You know exactly how cute you are, don't you," he said, laughing quietly as she used him as a pacifier. He just couldn't bring himself to mind it.

xXxXx

Jack pulled up outside the main gates and parked there. He got out to wait for his lover, leaning against the SUV. A mob of students and teachers poured out, making their way to their own transports. Of course, Jack tended to draw some attention wherever he went. Groups of giggling girls and even a few of the boys stopped to look. There had been a time where he would have tried getting one or more of them into bed, but those days were gone now. There was only one person here he was interested in.

The Doctor finally stepped out, scanning the crowd, obviously looking for Jack. Brown eyes lit up when they landed on him and the Time Lord made his way over with a big smile on his face. Jack smiled back, pulling the other man in for a kiss once he was close enough.

"So how did it go," he asked.

"It was great! More fun than I thought it would be. Small classes but it's better that way."

"Good." He held the Time Lord against him tightly, having missed his lover all day. "Now hurry up and get in. I have something to show you."

They got in the car, driving off. Jack was practically buzzing as they made their way out of town and into a more country setting. The Doctor looked watched out the window, wondering what Jack could possibly want to show him all the way out here.

"Jack, if you wanted car sex you could have said. You don't have to drive me out to the middle of nowhere."

"Tempting," the captain said with a wink, "but not this time."

"Then what?"

"You'll see. Not much longer now."

The Doctor sighed, impatient. He didn't want to wait. He'd been waiting all day to be alone with Jack but this wasn't what he'd had in mind. They took a left onto a dirt road so small you could easily miss it. Trees lined the driveway, their leaves beginning to turn lovely reds and oranges with the onset of the autumn season. Light filtered through their branches casting intricate patterns of shadows on them. It was beautiful, but the Doctor still didn't understand why they were out here.

"Alright," Jack said. "Close your eyes now."

"But,"

"Eyes. Closed. Now."

With another loud sigh, the Doctor closed his eyes. The car pulled to a stop and he heard Jack get out. His door was opened next and he was guided out. He yelped as he was pulled off his feet and into Jack's arms.

"Jack, what are you doing!"

"Just trust me," he said, carrying the Time Lord somewhere.

Of course, he couldn't be sure where he was going. It felt like stairs. He was set down on his feet again when they reached the top and the sound of a door opening reached his ears. Then Jack's hands were on his shoulders.

"No peeking," Jack whispered in his ear as he slowly guided the other man forward. Five steps, ten, stop. "Okay, open."

When his eyes opened his jaw dropped. It was gorgeous. To his left, there was a large, modern, eat in kitchen. On the right was a sunken living room with a fire place. Two hallways lead off from the living room on either side of it. The entire back wall of the house was one way glass, showing a gorgeous view of the field out back and the mountains beyond. There was a patio built on to the back as well. He could imagine spending mornings out their watching the sun rise together.

"Oh, Jack. It's gorgeous!"

"But there's more," he said, taking him by the hand and leading him down one of the halls to the second door on the right. "This will be the nursery."

The room was big enough to fit everything the baby could possibly need but small enough to be cozy. The carpet was mint green which the Doctor didn't much care for but it could be replaced. Jack took him to the back room now, opening the door to reveal a large room with hard wood floors and two doors leading off of it.

"This is the master bedroom," Jack told him, nuzzling against his neck. "Walk in closet, and en suite bathroom with whirlpool bath. And the other hall has a play room and an office space. We could park the TARDIS back there. That way she's always close by."

The Doctor was awe struck. It was beautiful and sophisticated. Not too big or too small.

"So, what do you think?"

He turned to face the captain, hugging him tightly.

"How soon can we move in?"


	13. Chapter 11

Accountability

Chapter Summary: Pure smut. No real plot this chapter. Consider it a valentine's day gift to you all. ;) (Even though Jack and the Doctor are nowhere near valentine's in their time line yet.)

Warnings : Super smut, heavy D/s, ...I kinda made it up as I went with this one so just expect the unexpected. k?

Chapter 11: Valentine's Day Special

The Doctor came through the front door, tossing his keys on the entryway table. He had seen Jack's car outside and normally the captain would have greeted him at the door. They had easily settled into a pattern of the first one home being there to welcome the other. Maybe he was out back or in the bathroom? The Doctor called out to the other man as he shrugged out of his coat. No answer. When he moved to hang it up, however, he noticed something else on the hook. His red collar hung there, fastened in a perfect circle, waiting for him.

The Time Lord bit his lip to hold back a groan. He hadn't expected Jack would want to play today but he wasn't about to complain. Carefully, he took it down and hung his coat in its place. There was no instruction for him to put it on so he assumed he was meant to bring it to Jack. He would most likely be in the living room or the office.

Sure enough, when he turned the corner, the captain was sat back on the sofa, his arms stretched across and his legs crossed. He looked expectantly at the Time Lord, his face a cool, stony mask of control as he crooked a finger at him. The Doctor came to stand in front of him.

"Strip."

The Doctor followed the command, disrobing as fast as possible to please Jack. However, the captain gave him a look of disapproval as his clothing was tossed to the floor.

"This isn't a barn. Set them right."

He set about folding them and laying the stack neatly on the coffee table.

"That's better," Jack told him. "Now kneel."

The Doctor obeyed, dropping to his knees in front of Jack and sitting back on his haunches. The captain took the collar from him and he eagerly lifted his head for it to be put on. Once it was fastened, Jack ruffled his hair affectionately.

"There's a little something we've been neglecting with all the excitement," he said. "You still haven't been properly trained. I think it's about time we changed that."

The Doctor felt a thrill run through him at the prospect of it. What did Jack have in store for him? The possibilities sent blood rushing from one head to the other.

Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out a lead. The captain clipped it to the front most loop and tugged it, bringing him up so all his weight rested on his knees. He brought his hands up to rest in Jack's lap and waited silently for either a command or another tug of the lead. The captain reached out to cup the Doctor's cheek, brushing his fingertips over the soft skin there.

"Do you trust me," he asked.

The Doctor nodded. Of course he trusted Jack.

"No. Do you really trust me? Do you trust me enough to do as your told and to leave your pleasure or punishment at my discretion?"

The Time Lord pressed closer to Jack, nuzzling against his stomach in answer. He trusted Jack wholeheartedly, knew that his lover would never hurt him. Nothing beyond the occasional punishment anyway and nothing that was serious or long lasting. Jack loved him too much. He knew as soon as he uttered the safe word Jack would end it but he also knew the further he took it the more pleased Jack would be with him. He wanted to please Jack. It was a need that was ingrained in him as a submissive. Making his lover happy made him happy.

Jack gently nudged him back so he was kneeling again. Satisfied that the Doctor was definitely okay with this, he was ready to continue. He was going to test that trust. The captain reached behind him to pick up the discarded tie from the coffee table.

He watched as Jack held up the tie in front of him, giving him a good idea of what was coming. The world around him went black as the fabric covered his eyes and was fastened behind his head. He was totally blind now. Totally at Jack's mercy.

"Up," Jack commanded him. He rose to his feet obediently. "Hands behind your back and keep them there until I tell you different."

The Doctor clasped his hands together behind him, listening carefully. There was a tug on the lead, urging him to move. Cautiously, he walked forward, feeling with his feet for any obstacles. He moved slowly as he was lead through several turns, gradually becoming more confident until he realized just how carefully Jack was leading him. They were obviously going in a circle as he had yet to make the step up out of the lowered section of floor. He moved quickly now, keeping up with Jack easily as he was led around, relying on Jack to keep him from falling or tripping.

He was making it too easy now, Jack thought to himself. He needed to give his sweethearts more of a test. He brought him to the edge where the floor raised, commanding him to step up. He led him over to the back door, guiding him out on the patio.

A shiver wracked him as his bare feet met cold wood and the early autumn air caressed his naked skin. He was outside. Outside? Yes, their home was fairly secluded with a dirt driveway a mile long and no other houses for miles around, but still, he was outside completely naked save the collar and blindfold. The Time Lord started to fidget nervously then he felt a warm hand on the back of his neck.

"Easy," Jack soothed.

Jack massaged the scruff of his neck, calming him. It wouldn't do for him to be so jumpy. Nerves lead to accidents. He had to trust that Jack would protect him, both from being hurt and being exposed. He had to trust his owner to guide him without question. When the Doctor had calmed, he stepped away, tugging on the lead again. He followed Jack forward easily until he was stopped again.

"Down the stairs now. Come."

The Doctor became a bit jumpy again, but he reached out one foot tentatively, feeling for the first step. Jack waited at the bottom of the short staircase, ready to catch him if he fell but he had no way of knowing that. He gave the Time Lord gentle encouragement, praising him when he made it to the bottom. Bare toes wiggled, feeling the soft grass beneath them, making the captain smile in amusement. Leading him forward again, Jack walked him around the huge yard, doubling back and looping, the Time Lord's steps never faltering, never hesitating. Perfect.

The Doctor was led back to the patio when he started to shiver. Getting him sick was not in the captain's plans. The Time Lord picked his way up the stairs again with Jack's guidance. He was brought into the house now judging by the change in temperature. The command to step down was given, the living room again.

"Very good," Jack praised him, running his fingers through the brown hair. "Kneel."

The Time Lord dropped obediently to his knees to find something soft had been placed there for him. It felt kind of fuzzy, probably a folded blanket or a pillow. Jack allowed him to drop his hands at his sides now and commanded him to stay.

Jack took the end of the lead and fastened it to the grating in front of the fireplace, making sure I was secured. The Doctor couldn't wander very far but he had a little wiggle room, the clip of the lead resting in the hallow of his throat. He was doing very well. Jack had expected more of a fight from him before the Time Lord gave in completely, yet he hadn't even fought so much as hesitated. He kept forgetting that the usual Doctor was the front. Deep down, to the fiber of his very being, he was submissive. He craved this, someone else having control, making his decisions for him. If there was any doubt that he wanted this it was gone with one look between the Time Lord's legs. He was rock hard and wetness leaked from him though all they'd done was walk around. Jack had never seen such a powerful reaction to submission alone. But they weren't done yet. Not even close.

He heard Jack leave the room and his mind began to wander, thinking of what would come next. So far training had been more enjoyable than he'd anticipated and he was sure it would only get better. Footsteps on hardwood signaled Jack's return. He could hear something being set on the coffee table nearby. Then Jack was there, petting his hair briefly and praising him for doing as he was told.

"Open," Jack commanded him as the tip of something brushed against his lips.

The Doctor opened his mouth to allow the soft rubber in. The hollow rubber curved to perfectly conform to his palate, pressing against the delectatio, while the bottom was covered in little bumps that teased the hairs on his tongue. A cool, wide, plastic base pressed to his lips and Jack released it.

"Now suck."

He obeyed, sucking gently at first, testing the object in his mouth before sucking harder with a whimper as it pressed and rubbed in all the right spots.

"Good boy," Jack told him. "Get yourself nice and wet for me."

It wasn't hard. He was already wet enough to be easily penetrated with only his own secretions, but Jack wanted him dripping. He sucked at the thing in his mouth, working himself to near orgasm through oral stimulation alone. Warm wetness trickled down his inner thighs and his whole body quaked with pleasure. That was when the captain stopped him. He tried to desperately to catch his breath through his nose.

"Now," Jack said gently, fingers brushing against his neck.

He curled his hand around the back of his neck, pushing his head down to rest on the soft material and guiding him to raise his hips high in the air.

"When I tell you to present I expect to see you in this position. Am I understood?"

A nod. Jack's hands were gone and he moved behind him. The creak of the captain's favorite arm chair told the Doctor he'd sat down but he had no way of knowing what was coming next.

The sight of the Doctor like this was almost too much. Skin flushed, ass in the air, glistening, head down on the pillow, blindfolded with a pacifier in his mouth. He wondered how the Time Lord would react when he found out just what he was sucking on. He'd had it specially made to fit him perfectly, just like the next item. Jack spread the Time Lord's cheeks, putting his entrance on display. He was more than ready, but the captain wanted to tease him a bit first.

The Doctor shuddered as Jack massaged the pad of his thumb over the slick opening. It felt good, but he could think of something better. Just a little more curl and instead of sliding over, it would slip inside. As if reading his mind, Jack pressed just that little bit more, his thumb sliding past the barrier of muscle up to the first knuckle and. The Doctor whimpered as the digit pumped in and out of him. It wasn't nearly enough but when he tried to press back into it, to get it deeper, it was taken away.

"If you can stay still and behave, I just might have something for you," Jack told him.

He went completely still, waiting for his owner to decide to continue. Again, Jack was impressed with his willingness and was quick to reward him for it.. The Doctor held his breath when a cold, blunt tip nudged him. He was given a moment to realize what was happening and to prepare himself before the tip breached him. It was big. Bigger than he was used to and it stretched him to the point of pain as it pressed into . It was bearable though and only made it feel that much better when it was in. He found he liked the slight burn where his rectum locked around it. A plug.

The Doctor clenched around the toy, testing the feel of it. He gasped when a counterweight at the end bounced, making the piece inside him shift and press against those pleasure points. Jack laughed, gently caressing his back and sides.

"I love when you wag your little tail for me," he told the Time Lord as he pulled him up on his knees.

He moved to untie the blindfold, and the Doctor blinked to adjust his eyes. Even the low light of the fireplace took some getting used to after being in a world of pitch black for so long. When he was able to focus, he turned his head to look behind him. It was a tail, a long, tapered, black, rubber tail. He clenched again, watching it bob and wag behind him. That was actually quite fun. He concentrated on the movements, squeeze, relax, squeeze, relax, until he had a nice little rhythm going.

"Having fun?"

Jack's voice snapped him back to attention and he looked up at the captain sheepishly. He just smiled and patted a spot on his leg in invitation. The Doctor turned to face Jack and crawled closer, resting his head against the warmth of his thigh. Fingers carded through his hair as he waited for a command.

"You're doing so well," Jack praised him. "I think you deserve a treat."

The captain reached down between the Doctor's legs, brushing lightly over his erection and moving lower to cup his balls. The Time Lord moaned around the pacifier, bucking against his owner's hand. It felt good, but he wanted more. He nuzzled against Jack's inner thigh, moving up to his groin. While the pacie worked well enough, it was no substitute for his captain's hot, hard cock. Jack seemed to realize this and he used his free hand to open the front of his trousers. He took himself in hand and started to lazily stroke as the Doctor watched, practically drooling.

"Is this what you want?"

The Time Lord nodded. Jack released the Doctor's cock and took the pacifier out of his mouth.

"Beg for it. Show me how much you want it."

"Please," the Doctor gasped.

"Please what?"

"Please let me suck you, sir. I want it so bad. Please, captain."

Jack smiled at him. "Go on then."

The Doctor dove into his task, swallowing the hard flesh whole in one go. He caught Jack by surprise, making him call out. He worked his lover's cock, whimpering as the head bumped against that little bud with every bob of his head. The Time Lord cursed the fact that he wasn't allowed to touch himself but he couldn't stop his hips from moving in the empty air, seeking friction.

Jack watched the Doctor work diligently to please him as he sought his own pleasure. He wanted to see his lover happy as well. The captain shifted his leg to press against his arousal. The Time Lord moaned and renewed his efforts, seemingly not at all bothered by the fact that he was humping Jack's leg. The very sight of the Doctor so far gone was enough to bring the captain to the brink. He could tell by the noises coming from him that the Time Lord was fast approaching his own release. Jack gave one last command before allowing himself to let go.

"Come for me."

The Doctor came hard, coating Jack's pant leg in white as he swallowed everything the captain gave him. He let the captain's softening cock slip from his mouth and laid his head against his thigh, panting for breath. Jack pet his hair affectionately.

"Good boy," he whispered, still a bit breathless himself. "If you thought that was fun wait until I get you in the bed."

The Doctor groaned. He got the feeling he'd be taking his first sick day tomorrow.


	14. Chapter 12

Accountability

Chapter Summary: The Doctor and Martha get down to the nitty gritty details of male birth. It really starts to hit the Time Lord what having a baby is going to mean for him and Jack and he decides he wants one last hurrah before he starts showing.

Warnings : More Time Lord biology lessons, club!Doctor, costumes, smut, fisting, possessive!Jack.

Chapter 12: While We Can.

"Hey."

The Doctor grumbled, hugging his pillow tighter. He didn't want to get up yet, but Jack was persistent.

"Come on. Time to get up. Martha's on her way over."

"Ugh. What for?"

"She wants to talk to you about some of the details. I already called you in sick but I have to head in."

The Doctor buried his face with a groan. He didn't want to wake up. He was still tired and his body was sore. He heard Jack chuckle which never led to anything good in these situations. Sure enough, he jumped up and yelped in surprise when there was a movement inside him. Jack had flicked his "tail". He glared at the other man who just smiled and stood up to head for the closet. As much as he had instantly loved the tail, that was the last time he slept with it in.

Last night had been just as fun as Jack had promised. It seemed he was really starting to understand just how much the Doctor loved giving him pleasure and following his orders.

xX previous night Xx

Jack had given the Doctor a few minutes to rest before leading him into the bedroom. He was told to climb up onto the bed on his hands and knees. The captain then fastened the lead to the decorative, wrought iron headboard of their king sized bed. They had picked it out together before moving in for just this purpose. Strong and very accommodating for ropes, leads and cuffs while subtle enough that no one would know that it was used for that purpose.

"You're going to stay perfectly still. Don't move at all. Not even an inch. Am I understood? Speak."

"Yes, sir."

Jack stroked a hand down his back. "Good boy."

The captain moved his attention from the Time Lord's back to his sides, his stomach, his chest. The Time Lord's body was thrumming as Jack's hot, human touch glided over him, teasing his nerves to full attention again. A hand wrapped around his cock and gave a single stroke and he had to fight to keep still.

"Good," Jack said, pleased to find him fully erect again. "Very good."

Then the hand was gone. The captain picked something up off the bedside table. The Doctor couldn't see it without turning his head but he caught a metallic glint out of the corner of his eye. Jack was suddenly behind him, one hand reaching under to take hold of him at the base, the other lining up the tip of a metal probe with the opening of his cock. The Time Lord gasped, his limbs locking to hold him up now.

"Now, I'll let you use this for a little while until we can better train you in control," Jack told him. "But I expect you to work hard to learn to control it on your own."

Slowly, Jack pressed and the metal slid into him. The Doctor cried out as the cool rod stretched the narrow opening. It was more than the thermometer had been, but just like the plug, it was still on the pleasurable side of pain.

"From now on, I'm the only one who gets to make you come." Jack inched the rod in further until a ring attached to the opposite end slid over the head, locking the sound in place and keeping it from getting lost. "You don't get to let go until I say so, and you don't touch yourself without my permission. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," the Doctor choked out. The combination of Jack's tone and the sensation of the metal inside him had him shaking. He had never felt so utterly owned and possessed. He had just surrendered the right to orgasm to Jack's control, the ultimate submission.

The captain curled a hand around the back of the Doctor's neck to settle him, quickly training the chosen relax trigger into him. When the Time Lord's body stilled, Jack went back to his gentle caressing, mapping his submissive's body and committing it to memory. There was only one thing left for tonight before he finally fucked that sweet, willing frame. He didn't want to push too far to soon, but as the dominant, pushing was his job, to gently coax the other into doing things he wouldn't normally do or didn't think he'd enjoy and making them pleasurable, expand his horizons bit by bit.

He was starting him with something fairly simple and main stream, but still outside the Time Lord's comfort zone. Taking hold at the base, Jack gently eased the plug out of him, hearing one of those deliciously arousing whimpers. God how he loved hearing such a pathetic helpless sound from the other man. He loved knowing that the Time Lord had been reduced to such weakness by his hand and that said Time Lord was all too happy to be in such a state.

Jack could almost purr in satisfaction as the Doctor obviously struggled to follow his command to stay still. The fact that he was fighting himself was proof that he truly wanted to obey his dominant, to make the man proud of him even though it meant denying his own physical needs and responses. The captain was curious to what extent the Time Lord could control his reflexive actions in this state. He rested firm hands on those pale globes, parting them with his thumbs to see the Doctor was still slightly open from the muscles having grown accustomed to the presence of the toy. Jack came closer, letting his hot breath ghost over and inside the Doctor, giving him just little bit of anticipation before he poked his tongue out to trace the rim.

The Time Lord groaned but kept dutifully still. Good. He slipped his tongue inside then, licking the sensitive inner walls of his lover and teasing that first patch of nerves. This time, the Doctor pushed back against him before he could stop himself. Jack pulled away immediately, giving the other man a slap on the rear for his disobedience and making him yelp.

"I told you to stay still," he growled. "Or can't you behave?"

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir," the Doctor said, his voice almost a whine. "I'll be good. I promise."

Jack gave him another smack on the opposite side, pulling another startled sound from the man beneath him. "You'd better, or I'll have to punish you."

He set back to his task. The captain pushed two fingers inside his lover easily, pumping them in and out. It wasn't much stimulation for the Time Lord after having the toy in him, but Jack was after lubrication for the moment. He had a bottle ready just in case but he wanted to see if the Doctor couldn't make enough of his own for this. As the moisture began to build, he added a third finger, giving the other man the desired friction. The Time Lord started making little noises as Jack worked him. When the begging started, the captain added a fourth and slowly, half his hand disappeared inside the wet hole. When he started to work in the thumb, the Doctor startled.

"Captain, I'm not so sure about this."

"Easy," Jack soothed, working that verbal trigger into the Time Lord's mind as well. He reached up with his free hand to stroke the back of his neck, the physical trigger.

"Easy now. Trust me. It doesn't hurt when you know what you're doing. Relax for me."

Though he seemed reluctant, the Doctor forced himself to calm under Jack's touch and his gentle encouragement. The captain slowly continued, working the final digit inside, the rest of his hand sliding in easily after, pulling a groan from his submissive.

"Good boy," Jack cooed. "You're doing so well."

He stroked his lover's back, giving him some time to get used to the sensation of having an entire fist inside him. It always took a minute or two to get past the splitting fullness, he knew from experience, but then it was fantastic. The Time Lord was gasping for breath but with some effort, he relaxed once more against the intruder.

Jack smiled to himself as he felt the muscles ease around him. Slowly, he started to move his hand, wriggling his fingers so the knuckles brushed against the delectatio deep inside. The Time Lord bit his lip. Jack was right. It hadn't hurt. It actually felt good, especially when it started moving. Jack started to pull back until his hand threatened to slip out then pushed back in, going further than before. It was getting really hard to stay still as Jack fisted him. The more experienced man always managed to surprise him when it came to new things. He had never thought he would enjoy something as barbaric and primitive as this, but here he was, whining and begging like a dog for more.

"Do you know what I want you to do now," Jack asked as his hand stilled.

"No, sir," the other panted.

"I want you to move," he said softly. "I want you to fuck yourself on my fist. Make yourself feel so good you beg me to let you come."

"Oh, yes sir," the Doctor moaned.

He dropped his head to the pillow first, giving himself better leverage. Slowly at first, he pushed back further, taking the captain's arm half way to the elbow. Jack held back a moan of his own. He hadn't expected that from the Time Lord with this being his first experience. The Doctor moved forward, feeling the appendage inside him hit the bundles of nerves. It felt so good. The Time Lord gradually quickened his pace, fucking himself on the captain's forearm harder. The stretch was incredible and he felt so full he feared he may split in two but he was enjoying it too much to care.

"You like that, don't you," Jack growled low. "You love having your ass so full, you naughty thing."

The Doctor whimpered and moved more frantically on the intruding limb.

"You're just a little whore for me, aren't you. Not happy without something inside you."

"Please," the Doctor whimpered. "Please, sir. Let me come. I'm so close. Take it out, please."

Jack grabbed one of the Doctor's hips, stilling him. He pulled his arm gradually free and the Time Lord protested the loss. That wasn't the it he meant but he suspected Jack was well aware of that.

"I don't think I will just yet," the captain said. "I think I'll make you wait."

Jack reached a hand beneath him. Moving gently, he slid the metal rod out of him, his other hand clasped around his submissive's hip. He didn't want to chance him thrusting and hurting himself.

"Do you know what I'm going to do next," he asked the Doctor who was panting and hiding his face in the pillow. His whole body was flushed and overstimulated. The Time Lord really loved his sounds.

"F-fuck me, sir?"

"That's right. And you're not going to come. Not until I do."

Jack slid into him then pulling a moan from the other man's lips. Getting fucked by Jack Harkness just wasn't something you got tired of. Partly because he was skilled at it and partly because he was very good at keeping it interesting. The Doctor may have had the years on Jack but the captain had the experience. Even having never been with a Time Lord before, the man was already an expert at making him scream and beg. The captain thrust powerfully into him, angled to hit each of those bumps head on with each inward stroke.

He wanted to scream with the effort needed to hold himself back. He needed it so badly, but he had to please his dominant first.

"You're close aren't you," Jack whispered in his ear.

"Y-yes, sir."

"But you're going to hold it, like a good boy, aren't you."

"I'm certainly trying," he said, with a bit of cheek. Where had that come from?

Wherever it was from it earned him another slap on the behind. He yelped at the sting of heat where his dominant's palm had made contact.

"You can stifle the attitude or you can wait even longer."

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir," he whined, pressing back into the captain who had stilled inside him.

"I was going to be nice," Jack told him. "But now I think you should show me you're sorry."

The captain pulled out of him, moving off the bed. The Doctor bit his lip, trying to keep himself from the near sob that tried to escape. He was hard to the point of near pain and Jack was toying with him. He heard a rustle of clothing and the captain came to the other side of the bed, lying on his back.

He untied the lead, winding the length of leather around his hand a few times to shorten it. Tugging on it, he commanded the Time Lord to sit astride him. He was reaching his limit, Jack could tell. He needed to end this soon. He'd pushed his sub far enough for one night.

"Ride me," he commanded him. "And don't you dare come. Not until you feel that first burst."

"Yes, sir," The Doctor whimpered.

Lifting himself up onto his knees, the Doctor reached behind him to line up his lover's cock. He sank onto it with a shudder of pleasure. Jack may have infamous stamina, but he hadn't counted on superior Time Lord muscle control. He lifted up and slammed back down, starting a punishing pace. He moved fast and hard on his captain's cock, squeezing around him strategically. Jack moaned appreciatively beneath him. That was a trick he hadn't known the Doctor had up his sleeve. He wasn't going to last long at all at this rate, and he knew it, cheeky little thing.

"Oh yes. That's good," he breathed encouragingly. "Keep going for me. Make your captain feel good."

Jack tugged the lead, getting the Time Lord to a mind blowing angle while the other hand rested on top of the pale thigh.

"That's it."

"Mmmm!"

"Keep going."

"Nnng!"

"Faster."

"Ahhh!"

"Oh yeah, baby. Just like that."

He was almost there. Just a bit more.

"Oh, here it comes. You ready for me?"

"Oh yes! Please, yes!"

Jack let go, gripping hard on the Doctor's thigh and holding him still as he emptied into him. The hot splash of come was like flipping a switch and the Time Lord burst, throwing his head back and howling as all that pent up energy came pouring out. The force of his orgasm was dizzying. His legs shook around the captain's hips, his vision went white and he screamed so loud it echoed through the house.

When he came to, he was collapsed on Jack's chest. The captain held him close, stroking his hair and cooing softly to him. His body felt like lead. He couldn't have moved even if he wanted to. Satisfaction and little aftershocks of pleasure flooded the Time Lord's body. He was so content that even the sticky mess between them didn't put a damper on that lovely, floating sensation.

However, Jack was beginning to feel uncomfortable as the Doctor's room temperature puddle cooled more and more. He was reluctant to disturb his lover though. He whispered sweet nothings into the brown mop of hair as the other slowly came back to himself. When the shaking stopped, he kissed the crown of his lover's head.

"We should clean up before you fall asleep sweethearts."

Jack rolled the Time Lord gently off of him and onto his side of the bed. The lead was removed before he stood and padded to the en suite bathroom. He came back with a warm flannel and saw the Doctor leaned against the headboard, the tail in his hands. He was stroking the tapered rubber end in fascination. The Time Lord looked up shyly at Jack's presence. The captain gently cleaned off his lover's stomach, making sure he left nothing behind. When he moved to clean between his legs, a hand on his arm stopped him.

"Do you think...maybe I could keep it in," the Doctor asked, his cheeks going pink. "Just for one night?"

Jack grinned lecherously at him. "You want to keep my come inside you?"

The Time Lord went completely red now, his cheeks unbearably hot.

"Well, I meant this actually," he said, the tail wagging in his hand.

Jack laughed, tipping the Doctor's chin up to look at him.

"If it makes you happy," he said, holding his other hand out for the toy. "And don't ever be embarrassed to ask me for what you want."

The captain captured his lover's lips, kissing him gently but passionately. He mentally projected the love he felt toward his submissive as their lips moved together. When he had him significantly distracted, his hand moved down between the other man's legs and slid the toy inside him, making him gasp in surprise.

Jack smiled as they parted and moved to lay beside his lover. The Time Lord turned onto his stomach and curled up next to Jack, listening to the soothing, single heart beat. The captain ruffled his hair and kissed a freckled cheek.

"Good boy."

xXxXx

The Doctor made sure to scrub himself thoroughly in the shower. He knew it was ridiculous but he felt that if he didn't, Martha would know just how kinky their nights could be. What was she going to do? Smell it on him? It was faint even to his nose so there was no way Martha would pick it up. Jack had left for work promising him that if he wasn't up and dressed by the time she got there he'd get a spanking for it later. They hadn't done that since the first night and he wasn't at all eager to revisit it.

He turned off the taps and stepped out of the shower, walking over to examine himself in the mirror as he toweled off. He looked down at his flat stomach, putting a hand over it. How long would he have these abs that he was so fond of in this body? How many weeks or months did he have until it became obvious that he wasn't just a bit pudgy? He would have to stay in the house when he started showing. He would have to hide away until the baby was born. He was sure he would die of boredom.

He dried his hair with the towel, letting it fall where it may. Not like he could tame it anyway. He had to get clothes on before Martha came knocking. He had made a decision though. The Time Lord would convince his old companion to come shopping with him instead of talking here. Jack was going to get a surprise tonight.

xXxXx

Martha pulled up outside the shop the Doctor had asked her to accompany him to. She was surprised when the Time Lord had asked to make a day of it instead of just sitting in the living room to talk. They'd stopped at a cafe and picked up coffee for Martha and tea for the Doctor who had pouted when she denied him a caramel apple coffee.

"Doctor's orders. No Caffeine for junior," she told him.

The pair of them stepped into the costume shop and the Doctor immediately went to a display pushing faux fur animal parts. Halloween was coming up so the store was a bit crowded but loud. They wouldn't be heard.

"So, I know that the information you gave me said you'll...grow what you need but it wasn't very specific. What exactly happens?"

The Doctor picked up a pair of pointed ears, looking them over before deciding they were too cat-like and put them back down.

"Just what it says. Towards the end my body will release a specific hormone that will signal it to start making it's own birth canal. Muscles will start to divide very slowly and gradually until it's made a full pathway from the womb. It's all very protected. The skin covering it remains in tact until labor begins to prevent infection. Then it starts to slowly separate. Once it's separated the baby will start to descend."

He picked up another pair of ears. Pointed with a mix of gray and black. Those were perfect. Now to find the matching tail.

"Doctor," she asked, "What exactly are we looking for?"

"Costumes," he said, looking at her as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yeah. I figured that bit. But what for exactly?"

"For Jack and me. The college has a costume party for the staff and I want us to have matching ones."

It was a lie of course. The college had no such thing. Not for the teachers anyway. He didn't want Martha to know what they were really for though.

"Ah! There we are," he said, picking up a wolfish looking tail. "Well go on. Next question."

"Alright. What about the pelvic problem?"

"Pelvic problem?"

"Yeah. The fact that it's too narrow to pass a child."

"Same as the birth canal, only it happens sooner. When the pregnancy hormone levels reach a certain level the pelvis actually breaks into two separate bones like the female pelvis in humans."

Martha's gaped at him. "Doesn't it hurt?"

"Oh yes," he said, picking a pair of longer, floppy black ears. He liked those. "Excruciating. Thankfully, there's a lot of endorphins released to keep the pain away while I'm awake and sort of a sedation effect to put me to sleep for the majority of it. Once the break heals, I'll be back to normal and everything puts itself back together after the birth."

He barely remembered that part of his first pregnancy, having only really woken up to eat and use the bathroom. Face paint next.

"Next question."

"You don't seem quite as bothered as you were before about this. What's different?"

"That's not a medical question doctor Jones."

"I am married now you know," she said, nudging him with her shoulder.

"Sure but that's how we started," he said with a smile. "Smith and Jones. You'll always be Martha Jones to me."

She smiled back, helping him look through the different colors of the oil based paints.

"Really though. What's different now?"

He sighed, picking a pallet of light brown and a black one.

"I wasn't exactly bothered," he confessed to her. "It was more worry than anything. Martha, I've been pregnant before."

He hadn't wanted to tell anyone but Jack and even then he hadn't actually wanted to. But Martha was his obstetrician and she needed to know this.

"That doesn't got beyond us, understand? Jack already knows but I don't want anyone else getting wind of it.

"I had a little girl," he told her. "Full term but...she suffered heart failure during delivery."

Martha laid a hand on his shoulder. He knew she was about to start into the are you okay, I'm so sorry speech and he wanted none of it. Pity was not something he was used to and he wasn't about to accept any now.

"Jack's been very supportive though. He's been helping me work through it and I'm getting better. Really, I am. I promise."

"Are you sure? Maybe you should talk to someone."

"I just said I'm talking to Jack, didn't I?"

"I mean someone licensed, Doctor."

The Time Lord snorted. "Why? So I can give them my money for them to tell me I'm clinically depressed and prescribe me a drug that'll most likely kill me? I'm better off keeping it between Jack and I."

Martha didn't look quite convinced but she let it go for the moment. Better not to push him and stress him out. She didn't want to put any undue pressure on him.

"Alright then. But let me know if you start having any anxiety or anything like that. Now what about feeding?"

"What?"

"Feeding. When the baby comes. Are you...equipped for that or are we going to have to figure out a formula."

The Doctor's face went red and he tugged on his ear nervously. "Yeah. I can take care of that. Moving on!"

xXxXx

Jack turned the key and pushed open the door. It was a long day at the hub and he couldn't wait to snuggle up on the couch with an arm full of Time Lord. He still missed having his lover nearby. The captain hung up his coat and stretched.

"Doc, I'm home," he called.

"In the office," he other man answered.

Jack smiled and made his way down the hall. When he entered the room, his jaw dropped. He had expected to find the other man with his nose in a book or trying to "improve" one of their appliances. He wouldn't have expected this in a million years.

The Doctor stood in the open door of the TARDIS, leaned against the frame. He wore black boots that came to the middle of his shins, the top buckles left open. Black leather hugged his legs and ass like a second skin, leaving nothing to the imagination. Two studded belts adorned his hips, one fitted and the other a few notches looser to drape a bit beneath the first. He wore a white wife beater that was just a smidge too short, showing just the beginning of the brown hair there before it disappeared beneath the waist band. Over that, he wore a black fishnet T-shirt. A bulk of rubber bracelets in multiple colors formed a wide band of color on his wrists. One eye was covered with a patch of brown face paint, the other heavily lined in charcoal black. He had long, plush, black dog's ears that clipped into his hair and his tail was firmly in place, protruding from a hole that had been cut out of the pants just big enough to let it come through without showing any skin.

"It's missing one last piece but I believe I was told not to put that on without your permission, captain," he said, his voice low and seductive as he held the red collar and lead balanced on one finger.

Jack came closer to him, pulling the Time Lord against him. Big, warm hands were warm on slim hips.

"Well woof woof," he groaned. "What's the occasion?"

The Doctor grinned, flashing fake, pointed canines fitted to his real teeth.

"We're going, oh,what do they call it? Clubbing! That's it. Clubbing. We're going clubbing."

"Clubbing," Jack asked. "You? Since when?"

"Since we won't be able to much longer."

The Doctor leaned into Jack, resting his hands on his lover's chest. He looked up at the other man with pleading, innocent eyes.

"We can go, can't we? One last go around before I start _getting_ round?"

How could he say no to that? He pulled the Time Lord closer, pressing a passionate kiss to his lips. The slimmer body melted against his and a sigh of contentment echoed through the room. Jack pulled back, smiling.

"Of course we can. If it makes you happy."

"Good," the Doctor said as his face lit up. He reached behind the other door of the TARDIS, pulling out a bag and thrust it at the captain. "I got those for you and you can go pick some clothes from the wardrobe."

He was shooed inside but Jack couldn't find it in him to be bothered as the Time Lord bounced with excitement. His lover was happy so he was happy. It would be fun to get back on the club scene as well. A little bump and grind out on the floor with his sexy puppy could be just the thing to relax him after the day he'd had.

xXxXx

They had found a club in the gay district that was having a masquerade night and had gotten in easily, though the Doctor was convinced it was because of Jack, not him. As they made their way through the crowd, Jack keeping a tight hold on his lead, heads kept turning to stare. They made their way to the bar where Jack put in an order, a martini for him and a soda for the Doctor, before finding a table. The place was packed wall to wall with people. It wouldn't bother the Doctor so much if people weren't bumping his tail so much.

"Are you sure this works for you," Jack yelled to be heard over the thumping bass. "There's other things we can do if you're not comfortable here."

The Doctor wasn't about to leave though. They'd just gotten there. He came out to live it up one last time before he was a parent and that's what he was going to do. The next song came on. It sounded familiar and the beat was infectious. The Time Lord smiled, tugging Jack toward the floor.

"Come on," he yelled to the captain. "It's your theme tune."

They made it onto the rotating dance floor just as the first verse began.

_When I walk on by,_

_Girls be lookin' like damn he fly._

Jack started to laugh when he recognized the song "I'm Sexy and I Know It" by an American band called LMFAO. His theme tune indeed. Though he must admit, he did like the Doctor's costume choice. You had the puppy, and then him, the big bad wolf. He had dressed much the same as he had when they went to fetish factor only now, wolfish ears were clipped into his hair, a matching, bushy tail was attached to his rear belt loop and his fake fangs were bigger with a second pointed tooth behind it. He looked more wild and potentially vicious which suited him just fine.

The captain was pleasantly surprised when the Doctor started dancing. It was not the shy, awkward, fumbling start he had anticipated. He'd thought he'd have to teach him and coax him to relax and let go enough to move. Instead, the Time Lord seemed to be perfectly at home in his own skin, writhing and grinding against his partner, pressing against the captain's muscular form like he was born to be there. Where the Time Lord had learned he would never know but God, it was good. He grabbed hold of his lover's hips, pressing that sexy, round ass against his groin and they rubbed against each other with wild abandon.

The floor was packed and after a few songs, the Doctor was sweating and his mouth was dry. He pulled back from Jack, miming a drink before he wound his way through the undulating mass of bodies and back to the bar. He ordered a water, trying desperately to catch his breath. He hadn't danced like that in centuries. The bar tender slid a bottle toward him and he uncapped it, gulping down half of it in one go.

"Having fun?"

He turned as a young man sat down next to him. He looked familiar.

"Sorry, do I know you?"

"Probably not without the collar," he laughed. "You probably remember my master though."

Then it hit him. He was Bowen's sub. Jack had warned him to be wary of the pair of them. He capped his water, giving the boy his full attention to keep an eye on him.

"Right," he said. "You're with Bowen, aren't you?"

"Yeah. Name's Adam," he said holding a hand out to him.

Oh. Adam. Bad start already.

"John," he said, taking the offered hand.

He picked up his bottle again and prepared to take another drink when it was snatched from his hand. Jack was beside him, glaring at Adam. What was wrong with him? He had to at least be civil. The Doctor thought he understood that. Then Jack held the bottle up in front of him. The liquid inside bubbled and fizzed wildly.

"You ordered a flat water, didn't you," Jack growled, his eyes still focused on Adam.

"Yeah," he said, looking curiously at the now bubbly water. "Yeah. I did. Why's it," and it hi him. He gaped at the boy sitting beside him. "You tried to drug me!"

"Get this straight,"Jack growled, curling his arms around the Time Lord and pulling him against him, back to front. "Tell your master that he won't be getting hold of him. He's mine, period and if he doesn't watch himself, I'll have his nuts mounted on my wall."

The young man gulped and he stood, terrified at having been caught. He slid off the stool and stared to walk away but Jack grabbed his shoulder and tugged him back. He growled something in the kid's ear and he ran off, even more scared than before. The Doctor stared after him, curious.

"What did you say to him?"

Jack wrapped his arms around the Time Lord again. "I told him Torchwood is very good at hiding bodies and how easy it is to make it loo like a suicide."

"Jack!"

"What can I say? I'm selfish." He scraped the points of the fake teeth over the Time Lord's neck, making him shudder. "This is one boy who doesn't like to share his toys."

"You possessive bastard."

"Would you have it any other way?"

"Absolutely not," the Doctor smiled, nuzzling against his lover.


	15. Chapter 13

Accountability

Chapter Summary: The Doctor is starting to suffer the effects of his pelvis splitting. Jack is doing his best to help but he's getting frustrated. However, the pair discover the perfect way to keep the Time Lord calm throughout the pregnancy.

Warnings : Angry!Jack, pained!Doctor, fluff.

Chapter 13: Helpless

Jack opened the door, putting his keys down on the entry table.

"Doctor, I'm home."

No answer. Usually the Time Lord would at least call out where he was in the house. The only sound that greeted him was the television.

"Hello?"

The captain made his way to the living room, finding his lover sprawled out on the sofa. He must have nodded off during one of his programs. Jack had to smile at the sight before him. The Doctor was on his back, one leg hanging off the side. A hand rested on his stomach while the other arm curled around the pillow beneath his head. His hair was more unruly than usual and his mouth hung open, snoring lightly. Half graded test papers littered the coffee table and his red pen had rolled to the floor. It was too cute for words. Jack shrugged out of his coat and draped it over his lover's sleeping form, gently stroking back those bangs to kiss his forehead. It had been the Doctor's turn to cook dinner but the poor thing must be tired to doze off in the middle of grading papers. He would call out for something tonight.

Jack went back into the entryway, pulling open the drawer on the table to look through the various menus they'd accumulated. What could he get that wouldn't upset the Doctor's stomach or give him terrible heartburn? He insisted it was worse with two hearts even though it made no sense since heartburn actually had nothing to do with the heart at all. He didn't bother to argue with him though. It was pointless to argue with a Time Lord. They were right ninety nine percent of the time and the one percent they were wrong they wouldn't admit to.

It didn't stop Jack from starting something once in awhile. He couldn't help himself. The Doctor was just too cute when he was frustrated with him. He once argued with the Time Lord for over an hour about the ph level of wine compared to grape juice. He couldn't even remember how that one started but by the end of it, the Doctor was seething and Jack was ridiculously horny.

"Jaaaack," he heard the Time Lord call.

The captain took three menus with him. If his lover was awake he'd ask him what he wanted but it wouldn't be a stretch for the Time Lord to call out for him in his sleep. Upon entering the living room, he saw the Doctor sat up on the couch, rubbing one eye and looking at the coat in his lap in confusion. Jack smiled at him. A drowsy Time Lord could be just as adorable as a grumpy one.

"Hey, sweethearts. What do you want for dinner?"

The Doctor blinked up at him.

"Hi," he said sleepily, staring at Jack with glazed eyes. "I smelled you but I couldn't see you. What are you doing?"

Jack raised an eyebrow. The Doctor wasn't usually so easily side tracked.

"I'm ordering dinner," Jack told him again, slower this time. "What do you feel like having?"

The Time Lord stared blankly into his lap. Jack assumed he was thinking about it but when he didn't get an answer the captain started to worry. He moved closer to the Doctor.

"Hey." He ran his fingers through the brown hair to get his lover's attention. "What's wrong, baby," he asked when the other man turned his bleary eyes up to him. The Doctor's face scrunched up in agitation and then, spoken in a tone that was unmistakeably serious:

"I have to pee, but I don't want to get up."

Now it was abundantly clear that, while amusing, this wasn't just a case of waking up slowly. Maybe he should call Martha. Better safe than sorry.

"Well get up and go pee and then decide what you want to eat for dinner tonight," he told him. The Doctor grumbled, swinging his legs off the couch and making a big show of getting upright.

"Go on." Jack gave him a tap on the backside to speed him along. "Get moving. I haven't eaten since breakfast and I want to order."

The Time Lord meandered off to use the bathroom but Jack had to stop him and steer him down the correct hallway. He was definitely calling Martha if the poor thing couldn't find the bathroom in his own home. Once he heard the correct door shut, Jack pulled out his cell phone. The young doctor picked up on the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Martha."

The lack of a nickname seemed to tip her off that this wasn't a social call.

"What's wrong, Jack?"

"I don't know exactly. He seems kind of out of it."

"Out of it how?"

"Like he couldn't find the bathroom on his own. And he's having trouble following conversations."

Jack paused as he heard the Time Lord call his name.

"Whats up," he yelled back, holding the phone away from him.

"I want that stuff with the red sauce that comes with the fluffy, white thingies."

"What?"

"The kind you eat with the sticks," the Time Lord yelled back, sounding frustrated that Jack didn't understand him. "And you get the little cookies with it."

"Barbecue pork" Jack asked him.

"That's it!"

Jack shook his head and put the phone back to his ear.

"Did you hear that?"

"I did," Martha said, sounding concerned as well. "When he comes out I need you to do something for me. You need to feel his hips all the way around, top and bottom. If you find anything off, let me know. I have to go though. I just got a page."

"Alright."

"Just be careful with him and for God's sake, make sure he gets at least one veggie in him."

xXxXx

Jack was in the kitchen making their plates while the Doctor was trying to grade the rest of his papers. He was sat on the floor in front of the coffee table, settled on a cushion. He looked frustrated. As Jack sat the plate down in front of him he threw his pen down.

"It's too hard! My brain's all fuzzied up."

"Why don't you take a break and eat," Jack told him, taking a seat on the couch.

"Kay," the Doctor said, taking his plate.

Instead of joining the captain on the couch, he leaned against his leg, head resting on his thigh. Jack watched him curiously but said nothing, letting the Time Lord stay where he was comfortable. He most definitely was not himself today. He fumbled with the chop sticks, not being able to pick anything up and getting frustrated again. He started to use his fingers instead, licking them clean after each bite.

"Do you feel okay," Jack asked him.

"I'm sleepy," he mumbled. "And I feel heavy."

Jack stroked his fingers through the Doctor's hair, petting him gently. He coaxed the Time Lord to stay awake long enough to finish his food. Then he had to do his little exam for Martha. When the other had almost cleared his plate - the vegetable stir fry had been a fight and he'd only eaten half of it - Jack stood up and patted the couch.

"I need you to lie down for me. Can you do that?"

The Doctor nodded, climbing up and laying on his back. Jack unbuttoned the Time Lord's trousers, pushing them down to his thighs, leaving the boxers where they were. The Time Lord didn't question him, just lay back and watched lazily. Starting at the top of his hips, Jack pressed his thumbs firmly into the skin there, feeling the bone beneath. He wasn't sure what he was looking for but if Martha was giving him the task then it was probably something obvious. He moved his hands slowly inward, massaging and feeling for anything off underneath. The Doctor had a lopsided smile on his face, eyes closed and was making little sounds of contentment as Jack massaged his hips. As he reached the center of the Time Lord's pelvis he felt a significant dip there. Feeling more, the captain followed the dip as it moved downward. It went almost halfway down but when Jack touched the bottom of the indentation the Doctor yelped.

Jack jumped back, startled. The Time Lord rolled onto his side, hands between his legs as he groaned in pain. It radiated out from the place Jack had touched, filling him from his thighs up through his abdomen, shooting up his spine. The Time Lord rolled and writhed, clutching at his groin, hoping it would somehow block the pain. Vaguely, he could hear Jack yelling in the background. He was in too much pain to follow the conversation but he could assume Jack was on the phone.

"What do you mean let it go? Do you hear that," Jack yelled into the phone holding it closer to the Doctor as he groaned and cried in pain then held it back to his ear.

"How can you tell me to let that go?"

"Because there's nothing for it Jack," Martha said calmly. "From what you told me, it must be the start of his pelvis splitting to make room for the baby. His body will release a sedative on its own which should kick in and put him to sleep soon. Anything I can give him will just make him sick."

"So you're telling me there's nothing at all you can do for him?"

"No, I'm afraid not." Jack's heart sank. "All we can do is try to make him comfortable until it's sorted itself out."

Jack growled in frustration. How was he supposed to sit and do nothing while his lover was in so much pain? He thanked Martha for her help and hung up the phone, moving over to the Doctor. His cries had quieted to soft whimpers and he lay still, his eyes closed. Just as Martha said, he was starting to drift off. The captain stroked the back of his neck gently.

"Easy," he whispered to him.

The Doctor opened heavy, watery eyes to look up at Jack. "It hurts," he whimpered.

"I know baby. I know." Jack tried to soothe him as best he could, careful not to let his own upset show. "Do you want to lay in the bed?"

The Doctor closed his eyes and nodded. Jack crouched down beside the sofa and coaxed the Time Lord onto his back. He worked the denim carefully down the Time Lord's legs the rest of the way so he would be comfortable. The captain slid one arm beneath his lover's shoulders and the other under his legs, trying not to jostle him too much and lifted him. He cradled the other man against him, holding him and whispering to him as he carried him down the hall to the bedroom.

Jack laid him down on the soft mattress, pulling the blanket over him.

"Is that better?" The Doctor nodded. "Good. Try to get some sleep."

"Will you stay with me," he asked, tugging on Jack's sleeve.

How could the captain say no? He climbed into bed on the other side, curling an arm around the Time Lord's waist. The Doctor shifted closer to the warm body beside him. Snuggling into the hollow of the captain's throat, he breathed deeply, the scent and closeness of his partner helping to relax him. It still hurt, but Jack was there and that made it okay, because Jack would take care of him, like he always did.

With Jack there to look after him, he fell into a deep sleep.

xXxXx

In all his years and all his deaths, Jack had never felt so useless. The Doctor slept the majority of the time, only waking for brief stints where he would eat something or use the bathroom. Jack had to give him quite a bit of help with the latter as they found out the first time. The Doctor had tried to get up on his own but found that he couldn't support his own weight. His screams of pain had brought Jack running to find him on the floor, writhing in his own puddle. The sudden flair of pain had caused him to lose the focus he'd been putting on holding it.

Now, the Doctor was sitting in bed, crying at the agony of his bones slowly fracturing. He was hurting horribly and there was nothing Jack could do to help him. It killed the captain to feel so utterly helpless. He was angry. Angry because it was his fault, angry because he couldn't fix it. As the Doctor howled in pain again Jack growled, punching the wall in frustration. He wanted to go in. He wanted to at least hold him, but Martha had kicked him out while she performed her examination, saying he was too emotional and would only make it that much harder on the Time Lord. He couldn't be angry at her though. He was the one who had begged her to come and just see if there was any possible way to ease the pain for him.

Martha poked her head out when she heard the impact. Looking at he wall, she saw the hole he'd made then looked to his hand. The knuckles were split and already turning purple. There was no doubt in her mind he had broken them.

"Jack," she sighed heavily. "Come on into the living room. We can talk while I patch you up."

"I can't leave him alone," he said, looking at the closed door, his eyes dark.

"He'll be alright. I promise. Now let's take care of you."

Reluctantly, he allowed her to usher him down the hall and sit him on the sofa. She took a seat on the coffee table and opened her medical kit. Taking Jack's bigger hand in hers, she cleaned the wounds as she started to explain the situation.

"There's good news and bad news," she told him, dabbing the split skin with an alcohol swab. "Bad news is that it's as I originally thought. There's nothing I can give him without doing more harm than good. His body will just reject anything we can offer."

"Dammit," Jack growled, his good hand clenching.

"But the good news is, I had a feel and it's almost all the way through. It shouldn't be more than a few days longer. Now I can't give him any drugs," she told him as she bandaged his hand, taping two of his fingers to keep them still until the fracture healed which could only take a few hours with Jack.

"But there's other things you can try to help make it more bearable. Hot baths, keep him on a pillow and try massaging the sides of his hips. More than anything, I think he just needs comfort. Keep letting him know that you're here and you'll support him. Psychology is going to be the most important bit for him throughout this. Be as involved as you possibly can with the pregnancy and the birth.

"And whatever you do, try to keep his stress levels minimized. If he's lost a baby before that will be the only thing on his mind. Instead of him thinking about everything that can go wrong, try and redirect him to think of all the ways he can help it go right."

A thought occurred to him then. Alice. When she had been born the doctor's were amazed. Her mother didn't seem to be in any pain. She never cried out or made even the slightest whimper. She'd been calm and very assertive in her wishes that the birth would be happening in her terms. She hadn't needed pain killers, she didn't tear though the doctors had tried to insist on an episiotomy. She was at peace. He remembered standing by her bedside in awe as their little girl came into the world unscathed.

"I think I know what to do," he said, looking up at Martha.

Once she left, the captain went back into the bedroom. He didn't look in the Doctor's direction and headed to the bath instead. He started the water running, nice and hot like he knew the Doctor liked. As it filled, he went to the Time Lord's bed side. He took his lover's hand in his, squeezing gently to get his attention.

"I need you to do something for me," he said as the Time Lord looked up. "I want you to try something but we need to get you in the bath first. Can you do that?"

"Your hand," the Doctor said, seeing the bandages.

"It'll be fine," he told him gently. "Indestructible. Remember? Do you think you can make it to the bath?"

The Time Lord's head turned lazily to the side to look at the bathroom door, then back to Jack. If Jack carried him it was possible but he wasn't sure how much help he'd be. He held his arms out to the other man, silently asking to be picked up. The captain smiled at him, knowing even in his haze the Time Lord was too proud to actually ask to be carried.

"Well you can't get in like that," he told him. "Let's get those jammies off first."

He pulled the blanket down and started to unbutton the striped pajama shirt. It was hard to get him undressed without moving him around too much. Gently, the captain worked the bottoms down the other man's legs. Now bare, he lifted his lover into his arms, cradling his thinner frame against him. The Time Lord wrapped his arms around his captain's shoulders and nuzzled into his neck. He found his lover's scent to be one of the most comforting things in the galaxies right now.

Jack took extra care as he lowered his lover into the tub and leaned him back, making sure sitting on his own wasn't hurting him. It seemed Martha was right though and the hot water was easing some of the pain. The lines of the Doctor's face smoothed as he relaxed back, the jets and heat doing their job well. Jack stood back to undress himself and join his lover.

"Hey," he asked when he had settled and the Time Lord was in his lap. "Do you know what your biggest weapon is?"

The Doctor's face scrunched up in distaste. "No weapons," he said, pouting up at Jack.

"But you do have one," he told him. "It's right up here." He tapped the other man's forehead. "And we're going to try something with it. Take my hands."

Their fingers intertwined comfortably and the Time Lord got a goofy little smile on his face. Jack was thankful that he was sedated. If he was in this much pain with it the captain was fairly sure he would have killed himself without it.

"Lay your head back," he said. "Have you ever tried meditation before?" The Doctor shook his head. "Well you will now. I want you to close your eyes now and focus on only two things, you're breathing and my voice."

The Doctor had never thought much of meditation, but Jack wanted him to try, so he would. He closed his eyes and focused on is breathing pattern, listening for his lover's voice.

_Good. Now slow your breathing. In...out._

He slowed on the inhale, letting the exhale flow lazily outward. He could feel his muscles start to give up their tension. He felt a bit lighter.

_When you exhale, I want you to focus your breath downward._

His body lightened even further.

_Now, imagine yourself lying on a soft, pink cloud. Feel the tendrils brush gently back and forth over your arms and legs and stomach._

The Doctor felt like he was floating and his eyes grew heavy as he imagined himself laying on the cloud. Relaxing back into the pink mound. Little wisps of mist rose from it, caressing his arms and legs, one reaching and stroking over his belly. Wherever they touched, he felt warmth radiating out from them.

_You sink deeper into it now as the color turns to orange. Now there's more of them at your shoulders, hips and neck. _

Just like Jack said, the pink faded to a soft, creamy orange color and his body pressed further into it. The little tentacles came up to massage his shoulders. They ghosted over his neck and hips, soothing him.

_The cloud turns to yellow as you ease further into it. You start to breath in the mist and it floods your lungs with warmth._

It turned a nice, sunny yellow. His body moved even deeper into the softness of the cloud. With all the little wisps still stroking and kneading, he found some of the mist wafting up into him as he inhaled, his chest feeling warm and pleasantly heavy.

_Now it becomes green. As you breath it in you feel the warmth spread to your head._

The sunny yellow bled to a bright green. It smelled like freshly cut grass and as it flowed into his body, he felt the warmth in his chest spread to the crown of his head, the same weighty feeling taking hold of him.

_The color slowly changes to blue, taking you deeper. You breath it in and the warm feeling washes into your arms. _

A soft, baby blue fazed out the green, and for some reason, that felt right. The blue made him feel more relaxed than any color before. The tendril at his belly curled around him and instead of his arms, his entire body flooded with warmth. He felt heavy but calm and a happy contentment took hold of him. He found he couldn't hear Jack anymore. What reached him instead were funny little half formed thoughts. Colors and shapes that didn't really have a purpose sprung up in his mind's eye. There were no words but vague ideas like hunger and calm. Through all these little bits and pieces there was a constant four beats.

The Doctor gasped and his eyes flew open. Water sloshed over the sides of the bath with the sudden motion.

"What is it," Jack asked worriedly from behind him.

The Time Lord looked down at his belly, resting a hand over it. A wide grin threatened to split his face as he laughed.

"Doc, what's going on? You're starting to worry me."

He looked back at Jack, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"I felt the baby."

Jack gaped at him. "But you can't be feeling them move yet. It's way too early."

"No. Not here," he said, reaching up to tap his temple. "In here."

"Are you serious?"

"Well it wasn't you, unless you think about shapes and colors and growing fingers," he said, the smile still locked into place.

Jack couldn't hold back his own smile at that. He hugged the Time Lord tight in his arms. It was one of the best things that could have happened. He had intended the exercise to help with pain management but now that the pregnant man could communicate with their unborn child they had the perfect means of reassurance.

"And Jack," the Doctor said, looking up from where he was cradled against the other man's chest. "I think it's a boy."


	16. Chapter 14

Accountability

Chapter Summary: Our favorite alien is starting to realize his clothes don't quite fit the way they used to. The name game begins and Jack's clothes as well as some household items have started disappearing. (little bit of a skip).

Warnings : I'll admit this is pretty much filler since my own baby is due any day but I wanted to leave you guys with _something_ before I have a newborn to care for. Not sure how often I'll be able to update after that but I will not abandon the story!

Chapter 14: What's in a name?

The Doctor sighed as he tried to button his shirt. He really didn't want to go find a bigger one but it didn't look like this one would cooperate. He was sixteen weeks now and it was growing increasingly obvious that he was not the only one living in this body. With a huff, he gave up, smoothing a hand over the bump instead.

"Can't you scoot back a bit or something? You've got plenty of room."

Nothing, not that he had actually expected the baby to move. Well, he'd just have to keep the web cam at chest height. Jack had arranged for him to continue teaching his class using a laptop. He could teach from home, see his students and his students could see him under the pretense that he was out of the country for awhile while he and his husband were looking to "adopt" a child. It was a pretty good cover. It was well known that the adoption process was a lengthy one in the US.

There was a tiny flutter against his mind and the Doctor smiled, grasping onto the little tendril of thought. Squiggles and scribbles filled his mind's eye with little specs of color here and there. A feeling of curiosity made itself known and a muffled voice echoed in his ears. Jack's tone and laugh were unmistakeable.

_That's your daddy, _he projected back. _He looks like this._

Concentrating on Jack's face, he tried to send the image to the little mind inside him.

_He loves you already you know. So do I._

There was that inquisitive touch again as his own voice repeated the word love back to him. He smiled, letting the love he had for this child flood him and sent that feeling back through the link.

_That's love_, he explained.

The curiosity eased and then the contact receded. The baby was having trouble holding a mental connection for very long, but he was doing exemplary for being a child _and_ half human. The Time Lord cherished those little moments he got with his baby. It was something they could share and no one else could. It was something all their own. Having another presence in his mind from time to time was comforting. It helped fill the void that had been left by the death of his people. He could remember a time when thousands of voices took up that space in his mind, a constant reassurance of white noise. It had been the thing that bothered him most after Gallifrey had burned. The complete, absolute, deafening silence. It was indisputable proof that he was alone.

Shaking himself from that train of thought, the Time Lord stepped away from the mirror. Jack was in their bedroom, tearing apart the dresser drawers in search of something.

"Have you seen my gray sweater? I was sure it was in the top drawer."

"I haven't seen it since I did the laundry last," the Doctor told him. "You folded them. It's wherever you put it."

"Obviously not because _I_ put it in the top drawer."

Jack opened said drawer to check yet again and see if he missed it somehow.

"Jesus. Dish towels, the TV remote, my favorite T-shirt and now my warmest sweater. I swear, this house is eating things. I'm gonna be so late."

"Well, why do you have to have _that_ sweater," the Doctor asked. "I thought you didn't like sweaters because they were too concealing."

With a huff of frustration, Jack slammed the drawer shut. Now he would have to wear that ugly red, argyle monstrosity a past mother in law had knitted him. The woman had never liked him and every Christmas, when the other son in in law got a nice looking scarf or a watch, he would get an ugly sweater or fuzzy mittens or even socks that she hadn't even tried to make the same size. Still, he kept them because they did remind him of the wife he had loved. It didn't mean he liked to be seen in them though.

"Typically, I don't like sweaters unless they're on you. You do look yummy in a nice, tight sweater by the way. But it's preferable to freezing my bits off."

"The heating still isn't fixed?"

"Well I can't exactly hire someone to come do it or I'd have to retcon them after," Jack told him. "It's going to have to wait until Ianto can get to it."

"Or I can fix it. Christmas break starts after today and I was hoping to help out at the hub during it anyway," the Doctor offered, trying to choose a tie.

"I don't want you overexerting yourself," Jack said. "Ianto's very capable of fixing it."

"I wouldn't be overexerting myself. Not with this," he told the captain, wiggling his sonic in his direction. "It can pin point the problem easy peasy and fix it quick as a flash."

Jack seemed to think about it for a minute. Turning, he leveled the Doctor with his gaze.

"Alright. You can fix it on two conditions. One, you need something lifted or a panel moved you ask me or Ianto to do it. Two, you only repair it. None of your improvements. You've already wasted two refrigerators, we can't afford to replace the heating system for the entire hub."

"Deal."

The Doctor smiled, giving Jack a kiss as he left the room to put the kettle on. He hadn't meant to ruin the refrigerators. He was trying to increase the efficiency of the coils but apparently 21st century models were at their peak capacity. How was he to know they would snap when resonated? He'd given up on improving their appliances though.

He poured himself a mug of tea and settled on the couch with his laptop, preparing to start his class. Jack _was_ quite late today. The captain was usually gone long before now. Typing in the security code to link to the school's computer, he hit enter and was greeted by the sight of his students, all sitting at their desks and ready to start the lesson.

"Good morning. And how are we doing today?"

There was a chorus of "Good morning, Mr. Smith" in reply. His class had grown in the last few weeks due to word of his enjoyable and entertaining classes spreading around the campus.

"Right. Now, where did we leave off last time?"

"Alright, I'm going," Jack said, walking into view of the web cam while pulling his jacket on. "Drop over around lunch if you feel up to it. Lacy hasn't seen you in awhile.

"Jack! I'm kind of in the middle of something," the Doctor chastised him.

"Right. Sorry."

The captain came over, tipping the Time Lord's head back and swooping in for a kiss. He moved his lips firmly against his lover's softer ones, nibbling gently on that full bottom lip. When he finally pulled away the Doctor was flabbergasted.

"Jack!"

"What? I can't have a goodbye kiss," he asked with a wink.

"That was not a goodbye kiss! That was a showoff kiss and you know it!"

"I'll see you later."

"We're not done talking about this. You're in trouble."

"Sure I am," Jack said, closing the door behind him.

The Doctor scowled in the direction the other man had exited and turned back to the screen.

"Rochelle! Chelsea! Phones away right now!"

xXxXx

When lunch time rolled around, the Doctor had made his way to the hub to see Jack. The alarm went off as the cog door opened. It was nice to be back in the hub. He still loved the place even though he needed his own space. As the door closed behind him he was immediately greeted by Lacy. She ran circles around his legs, whining and pawing at him in a plea for affection Obviously, she'd missed him more than Jack let on.

"Hello, sweetheart. How have you been," he asked, kneeling down to scratch behind her ears.

Her tail thumped against the floor and she pushed into his hand, loving the attention. She followed him across the grated floor into the empty main room. All was quiet except for the sound of the water tower and Myfanwy's occasional noise. It was quite nippy, he thought to himself, pulling his coat tighter around him with a shiver. He walked up to Jack's office and found it empty as well. Where was everyone?

Well, he could always fix the heating while he waited for them to get back. The Time Lord pulled out his sonic and aimed it at the heating unit along the office floor to start tracing the wiring.

xXxXx

Jack threw his coat to the floor angrily. Wiping at his face again, he flicked his hands, sending some of the green goo flying in random directions.

"Yuck! I really hate getting eaten!"

"Well no one asked you to throw yourself into it's mouth," Gwen said, flicking a bit off her sleeve.

Jack was covered from head to toe in the sticky mess, his hair plastered to his head and his clothes soaked and heavy with it. The alien that had come through had been nothing but a voracious tube of flesh, sucking in anything and everything in its path, including one Jack Harkness. He had gotten off a few shots inside before he'd been digested, causing enough damage before he died to at least get the beast to regurgitate everything it had pulled in. It seemed the TARDIS wasn't the only thing bigger on the inside and Ianto had his work cut out for him on clean up. Once Jack had been upchucked, Ianto had cleverly gotten the creature to eat one of their explosives. Of course, now he was sweeping up alien chunks so he didn't feel too clever anymore.

"Being eaten is the absolute worst. No, wait, burning. Burning first, then digestion. Especially when you have to grow everything back and you wake up before your skin's regrown."

Gwen winced at the lovely picture Jack had painted for her. That's what she wanted to picture, Jack without skin. Sitting down at a computer, the Welsh woman checked over all the readings and the cameras. It was so routine, she wasn't paying full attention. Thus, it almost escaped her notice that one of the weevil cells was open and empty.

Launching up from her chair, she turned to Jack, hand flying to her gun.

"Jack, one of the weevils is loose."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," he growled as he peeled off his shirt. "Just what I need. A fucking Weevil hunt."

He could check the CCTV. It would be simple enough. But he wanted to try something new. Putting two fingers in his mouth, the captain blew a high pitched, echoing whistle. Within moments, the jingling of tags could be heard as Lacy ran toward him. Normally she would've jumped all over him and assaulted him with kisses but instead, she wisely stopped short at the sight of him. He couldn't exactly blame her. For once, he wouldn't want to lick him either. He patted the back of his leg, signaling her to follow and headed toward the cells. When they had reached the cell, he sent her in to sniff around.

"You got it?" She barked at him. "Go find it," he told her.

The pup took off up the stairs into the main room, nose to the ground. Jack followed after her, hand on his gun as they made their way through the hub. Lacy stopped at an open service panel in the floor. Looking down, then to Jack to be sure he was following, she jumped down. Jack dropped down after her. The service paths. Either the weevils were getting smarter or someone had helped it. The captain was even more wary now, anticipating the possibility of an intruder as well as an escaped, feral alien.

Lacy turned the corner, barking excitedly. Jack rounded the corner as well. There was the escaped Weevil, standing in the middle of the tunnel and holding a wall panel. However, he was more interested that there were feet poking out of the open section of wall. Red, high top trainers. With a huff, Jack took his hand off his gun.

"What are you doing?"

The Doctor poked his head out and looked the captain up and down.

"What on earth happened to you?"

"Never mind that. Why is there a weevil down here with you," he asked.

"Well, there was no one else here and you made me promise not to do any lifting," the Doctor told him. "I'm just about done with the heating. I think you have a rodent problem by the way. The wires were chewed."

He looked Jack up and down again.

"Seems you've been chewed as well," he said, sliding back into the opening and the whir of his sonic filling the tunnel.

"Yes," Jack said. "And not in the fun way."

"I didn't know there was a fun way to get eaten," the Doctor teased.

"Really," Jack asked with a cocky grin. "Then I haven't been doing my job well enough."

The captain took hold of one foot, pulling the Doctor out. He moved to lean in for a kiss but was stopped when a palm met his face.

"No offense, but you're kind of...well...disgusting right now. You'll want to shower before that dries. That glop sets like cement." He slid back in. "As much as I love you the idea of being that stuck to you doesn't have much appeal. Besides, I believe I was told to come here for lunch and you can't go out looking like that."

Again, the Captain couldn't blame him. He was covered in green slop and it was starting to harden. He'd have to incinerate these clothes. There was no saving them. He looked down at the tacky mess in disgust.

"Shower would be a good idea." Jack said. "Give me twenty minutes and we can go. And make sure that gets back to the cells when you're done."

xXxXx

Jack followed as the Doctor went from shop to shop, waiting for something to pique his interest. He loved watching his lover flit around, looking at the different chalk board menus and occasionally becoming side tracked by a shop display. For the first time he could remember, the Time Lord had his trench coat buttoned. Not just that, but underneath was a TARDIS blue hoodie. He wasn't taking any chances of exposing the newly formed baby bump, though it was hardly noticeable unless he was trying to squeeze into his old clothes.

The Time Lord stopped outside an antique shop, mesmerized by whatever was in the window. Jack turned his head to see what had caught his lover's eye. It was an old fashioned rocking chair. The wood had a beautiful cherry finish, the cushion a cream color. He looked over, seeing the Doctor put his hand against the glass.

"So I guess you like it," he asked.

"It's...familiar."

Very familiar. But they weren't his memories. They were John Smith's. It was the chair from a frequently visited home, the chair that the Matron could have rocked their babies to sleep in. When he had used the chameleon arch he hadn't just changed his memories. He had literally rewritten his DNA. He had been a human, capable of siring children instead of bearing them, no actual breeding season to effect his judgment or reduce him to incoherency. Part of him would've liked that. Part of him still wanted that.

But that part of him was very small. How could he honestly want that, he thought to himself, looking at Jack and smiling, when he had this? Jack had such a love for him and a devotion the likes of which he'd never encountered. Sure, they clashed here and there and they would grate on each other now and again, but what couple didn't? Besides, it would be boring if they got along all the time.

Taking the captain's hand, he pulled him along before he got it in his head to go buy the old thing.

"You know what I do like," he said. "Zeffron."

"Zeffron," the captain asked. "As in Zach Effron?"

"Oh. I was wondering why that name rung a bell."

"The name? You wanted to name our child Zeffron?"

"Well what would you suggest then?"

"I don't know," he said. "David, Michael, something that won't get him tormented on the playground."

The Doctor pouted at him. "What makes you think he won't get teased for something else? Oh, like having two dads for instance."

"Well I never said there wasn't that chance," Jack said. "I just don't think we should give the other kids any more material than they've got already."

They walked down the street together, lunch almost forgotten as the topic of what to call their child reared its head. A Gallifreyan name would do him no good living on earth and if Jack had any real family names before the Time Agency, he had forgotten them. The fact he had held onto Jack Harkness for so long is something other agents would consider odd. However, if there's one thing he had learned and held onto from that, it was various names along with their origins and meanings.

"Benjamin?"

"Hmmm. I do like that. And old Benny boy was quite brilliant in his own sort of way, despite the whole electrocution. Invent the library and it's Ben who, but fly a kite in a thunderstorm and they remember that forever," the Doctor said, reminiscing about time spent in the American colonies. It had been quite fun to watch the inventor cook a turkey with a redirected lightning bolt.

"Benjamin. Benjamin Sergius. Benjamin Sergius Harkness. Has a nice ring to it!"

The Time Lord grinned. It was good to have something to call his child besides he or the baby. It made the bond between them so much more real.

"Our little Benjamin. Oh and he'll be brilliant," he said, his expression glowing.

"And handsome," Jack told him.

"And brave."

"And charismatic."

"With a brain for science and maths and engineering,"

"Are we talking about the same kid," Jack laughed.


End file.
